diff --git a/sync-keys.js b/sync-keys.js
index 9d471c6..96b54bb 100644
--- a/sync-keys.js
+++ b/sync-keys.js
@@ -20,6 +20,13 @@
  * it refuses to write unless CREDS_KEY can first decrypt an existing key row
  * (proof it is the app's real key), and unless each fresh ciphertext round-trips
  * back to the plaintext.
+ *
+ * CREDS_KEY/CREDS_IV: a scheduled run happens in the scheduler's own container,
+ * where the app's process env does not exist (/proc/1/environ there belongs to
+ * the task launcher). They are read from /app/data/.librechat-creds
+ * (root:cloudron 0640) instead. If the app's key ever rotates, refresh that file
+ * — a stale key makes the decrypt guard refuse to write rather than corrupt
+ * member keys.
  */
 const fs = require("fs");
 const os = require("os");
@@ -52,8 +59,32 @@ const MCP_AUTH_FIELD = "IC_API_KEY";
 if (!MONGO_URL) { console.error("FATAL: no MongoDB URL in environment"); process.exit(1); }
 if (!SYNC_TOKEN) { console.error("FATAL: LIBRECHAT_SYNC_TOKEN not set"); process.exit(1); }
 
+// Scheduler tasks run in their OWN container (Cloudron's scheduler addon): the
+// app's process env is absent and /proc/1/environ belongs to the task launcher,
+// not the app. So the app's CREDS_KEY/CREDS_IV are read from a root- and
+// group-readable file on the shared volume, written from the live app env.
+// If it is missing or stale, the guards below stop the run instead of writing
+// keys the app cannot decrypt.
+const CREDS_FILE = "/app/data/.librechat-creds";
+try {
+  for (const line of fs.readFileSync(CREDS_FILE, "utf8").split("\n")) {
+    const m = line.match(/^([A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*)=(.*)$/);
+    if (m && /^CREDS_(KEY|IV)$/.test(m[1]) && process.env[m[1]] === undefined) process.env[m[1]] = m[2].trim();
+  }
+} catch (e) { /* absent is fine — the guard below reports it */ }
+
 if (!process.env.CREDS_KEY || !process.env.CREDS_IV) {
-  console.error("FATAL: CREDS_KEY/CREDS_IV not available — refusing to write (keys would be undecryptable)");
+  const diag = [
+    `when=${new Date().toISOString()}`,
+    `uid=${typeof process.getuid === "function" ? process.getuid() : "?"} gid=${typeof process.getgid === "function" ? process.getgid() : "?"}`,
+    `cwd=${process.cwd()}`,
+    `creds_file_exists=${fs.existsSync(CREDS_FILE)}`,
+    `proc1_environ_readable=${(() => { try { return fs.readFileSync("/proc/1/environ").length > 0; } catch (e) { return false; } })()}`,
+    `env_names_with_creds=${Object.keys(process.env).filter((k) => /CREDS/i.test(k)).join(",") || "none"}`,
+    `volume_mounted=${fs.existsSync("/app/data")}`,
+  ].join("\n");
+  try { fs.writeFileSync("/app/data/key-sync-diag.txt", diag + "\n"); } catch (e) { /* volume not mounted */ }
+  console.error("FATAL: CREDS_KEY/CREDS_IV not available — refusing to write (keys would be undecryptable); diag: /app/data/key-sync-diag.txt");
   process.exit(1);
 }