diff --git a/apps/api/src/config.ts b/apps/api/src/config.ts
index 998aee1..72ed9b0 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/config.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/config.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 import { z } from 'zod';
 
+const optionalString = z.preprocess((value) => value === '' ? undefined : value, z.string().min(1).optional());
+const optionalUuid = z.preprocess((value) => value === '' ? undefined : value, z.string().uuid().optional());
+
 const baseSchema = z.object({
   NODE_ENV: z.enum(['development', 'test', 'production']).default('development'),
   PORT: z.coerce.number().int().min(1).max(65535).default(3003),
@@ -12,13 +15,13 @@ const baseSchema = z.object({
   MEDIA_ROOT: z.string().min(1).default('/data/media'),
   MEDIA_SIGNING_SECRET: z.string().min(32).optional(),
   MEDIA_PUBLIC_BASE_URL: z.string().url().optional(),
-  SUPABASE_AUTH_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY: z.string().min(1).optional(),
-  REVENUECAT_API_KEY: z.string().min(1).optional(),
+  SUPABASE_AUTH_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY: optionalString,
+  REVENUECAT_API_KEY: optionalString,
   REVENUECAT_ENTITLEMENT_ID: z.string().min(1).default('Sauci Pro'),
-  REVENUECAT_WEBHOOK_SECRET: z.string().min(1).optional(),
-  ADMIN_API_SERVICE_TOKEN: z.string().min(32).optional(),
-  ADMIN_API_SERVICE_USER_ID: z.string().uuid().optional(),
-  ADMIN_PRIVATE_KEY_JWK: z.string().optional(),
+  REVENUECAT_WEBHOOK_SECRET: optionalString,
+  ADMIN_API_SERVICE_TOKEN: z.preprocess((value) => value === '' ? undefined : value, z.string().min(32).optional()),
+  ADMIN_API_SERVICE_USER_ID: optionalUuid,
+  ADMIN_PRIVATE_KEY_JWK: optionalString,
 });
 
 export interface AppConfig {
diff --git a/apps/api/test/auth.test.ts b/apps/api/test/auth.test.ts
index c4b6bea..51416bc 100644
--- a/apps/api/test/auth.test.ts
+++ b/apps/api/test/auth.test.ts
@@ -61,4 +61,28 @@ describe('Supabase Auth JWT verification', () => {
       AUTH_TEST_JWKS: jwks,
     })).toThrow('AUTH_TEST_JWKS is forbidden');
   });
+
+  it('treats empty optional deployment integrations as disabled', async () => {
+    const { jwks } = await signedToken();
+    const config = loadConfig({
+      NODE_ENV: 'test',
+      DATABASE_URL: 'postgresql://localhost/sauci_test',
+      SUPABASE_AUTH_ISSUER: issuer,
+      AUTH_TEST_JWKS: jwks,
+      SUPABASE_AUTH_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY: '',
+      REVENUECAT_API_KEY: '',
+      REVENUECAT_WEBHOOK_SECRET: '',
+      ADMIN_API_SERVICE_TOKEN: '',
+      ADMIN_API_SERVICE_USER_ID: '',
+      ADMIN_PRIVATE_KEY_JWK: '',
+    });
+    expect(config).toMatchObject({
+      supabaseAuthServiceRoleKey: undefined,
+      revenueCatApiKey: undefined,
+      revenueCatWebhookSecret: undefined,
+      adminApiServiceToken: undefined,
+      adminApiServiceUserId: undefined,
+      adminPrivateKeyJwk: undefined,
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/infra/backend/README.md b/infra/backend/README.md
index d96230f..9cd6833 100644
--- a/infra/backend/README.md
+++ b/infra/backend/README.md
@@ -45,6 +45,12 @@ different name `SAUCI_ADMIN_API_TOKEN` plus its independent caller-facing
 `SAUCI_MCP_API_KEY`. The token does not confer Supabase authority: the API maps
 it to the configured administrator and applies normal permissions and auditing.
 Do not give either admin token to mobile, admin browser, or worker containers.
+An environment without an imported active administrator may leave both values
+empty; customer API routes still run, while MCP service authentication remains
+disabled until the pair is configured. RevenueCat credentials are likewise
+optional at infrastructure bootstrap, but purchase verification, webhooks, and
+account-deletion provider cleanup remain unavailable until their dedicated
+server-side credentials are installed.
 
 Secret ownership is intentionally split:
 
diff --git a/infra/backend/compose.production.yaml b/infra/backend/compose.production.yaml
index 8fb0ac9..c3c0287 100644
--- a/infra/backend/compose.production.yaml
+++ b/infra/backend/compose.production.yaml
@@ -10,12 +10,12 @@ x-api-environment: &api-environment
   PORT: 3003
   SUPABASE_AUTH_URL: ${SUPABASE_AUTH_URL:?set SUPABASE_AUTH_URL}
   SUPABASE_AUTH_AUDIENCE: ${SUPABASE_AUTH_AUDIENCE:-authenticated}
-  SUPABASE_AUTH_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY: ${SUPABASE_AUTH_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY:?set SUPABASE_AUTH_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY}
-  REVENUECAT_API_KEY: ${REVENUECAT_API_KEY:?set REVENUECAT_API_KEY}
+  SUPABASE_AUTH_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY: ${SUPABASE_AUTH_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY:-}
+  REVENUECAT_API_KEY: ${REVENUECAT_API_KEY:-}
   REVENUECAT_ENTITLEMENT_ID: ${REVENUECAT_ENTITLEMENT_ID:-Sauci Pro}
-  REVENUECAT_WEBHOOK_SECRET: ${REVENUECAT_WEBHOOK_SECRET:?set REVENUECAT_WEBHOOK_SECRET}
-  ADMIN_API_SERVICE_TOKEN: ${ADMIN_API_SERVICE_TOKEN:?set ADMIN_API_SERVICE_TOKEN}
-  ADMIN_API_SERVICE_USER_ID: ${ADMIN_API_SERVICE_USER_ID:?set ADMIN_API_SERVICE_USER_ID}
+  REVENUECAT_WEBHOOK_SECRET: ${REVENUECAT_WEBHOOK_SECRET:-}
+  ADMIN_API_SERVICE_TOKEN: ${ADMIN_API_SERVICE_TOKEN:-}
+  ADMIN_API_SERVICE_USER_ID: ${ADMIN_API_SERVICE_USER_ID:-}
   ADMIN_PRIVATE_KEY_JWK: ${ADMIN_PRIVATE_KEY_JWK:-}
 
 x-worker-environment: &worker-environment