diff --git a/librechat.yaml b/librechat.yaml
index 3f0eddc..3c18ef1 100644
--- a/librechat.yaml
+++ b/librechat.yaml
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 version: 1.3.17
 
-# Inference Co-op gateway — PER-USER keys: each member pastes their own
-# dashboard key once (apiKey: user_provided). Usage bills to that member's
+# Inference Co-op gateway — per-member keys. Each member's own dashboard
+# key auto-loads at login (seeded into LibreChat's user-key store by
+# /app/data/sync-keys.js from the portal). Usage bills to the member's
 # own LiteLLM team/budget.
 endpoints:
   custom:
@@ -183,3 +184,6 @@ mcpServers:
         title: "Inference Co-op API key"
         description: "Auto-loaded from your membership — no action needed."
         sensitive: true
+    env:
+      IC_API_KEY: "{{IC_API_KEY}}"
+      SYSTEM_IMAGE_KEY: "${SYSTEM_IMAGE_KEY}"
diff --git a/mcp/image_server.py b/mcp/image_server.py
index 2adea7c..c87f97b 100644
--- a/mcp/image_server.py
+++ b/mcp/image_server.py
@@ -38,9 +38,14 @@ def log(msg):
 
 def tool_generate_image(args):
     # Seamless: use the member's own key if LibreChat injected one; otherwise
-    # fall back to a keyless request so members who never saved a key can
-    # still generate images (the gateway bills their shared co-op allowance).
-    key = (os.environ.get("IC_API_KEY") or "").strip()
+    # fall back to the co-op's SYSTEM key (so a member who has never been
+    # seeded — e.g. right after first login — still generates an image,
+    # billed to the system account). Only if both are absent send keyless.
+    key = (
+        os.environ.get("IC_API_KEY")
+        or os.environ.get("SYSTEM_IMAGE_KEY")
+        or ""
+    ).strip()
     auth_header = {"Authorization": f"Bearer {key}"} if key else {}
 
     prompt = str(args.get("prompt") or "").strip()