diff --git a/server/src/__tests__/agent-auth-jwt.test.ts b/server/src/__tests__/agent-auth-jwt.test.ts
index 1cc8a60a..c2505b29 100644
--- a/server/src/__tests__/agent-auth-jwt.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/__tests__/agent-auth-jwt.test.ts
@@ -3,12 +3,14 @@ import { createLocalAgentJwt, verifyLocalAgentJwt } from "../agent-auth-jwt.js";
 
 describe("agent local JWT", () => {
   const secretEnv = "PAPERCLIP_AGENT_JWT_SECRET";
+  const betterAuthSecretEnv = "BETTER_AUTH_SECRET";
   const ttlEnv = "PAPERCLIP_AGENT_JWT_TTL_SECONDS";
   const issuerEnv = "PAPERCLIP_AGENT_JWT_ISSUER";
   const audienceEnv = "PAPERCLIP_AGENT_JWT_AUDIENCE";
 
   const originalEnv = {
     secret: process.env[secretEnv],
+    betterAuthSecret: process.env[betterAuthSecretEnv],
     ttl: process.env[ttlEnv],
     issuer: process.env[issuerEnv],
     audience: process.env[audienceEnv],
@@ -16,6 +18,7 @@ describe("agent local JWT", () => {
 
   beforeEach(() => {
     process.env[secretEnv] = "test-secret";
+    delete process.env[betterAuthSecretEnv];
     process.env[ttlEnv] = "3600";
     delete process.env[issuerEnv];
     delete process.env[audienceEnv];
@@ -26,6 +29,8 @@ describe("agent local JWT", () => {
     vi.useRealTimers();
     if (originalEnv.secret === undefined) delete process.env[secretEnv];
     else process.env[secretEnv] = originalEnv.secret;
+    if (originalEnv.betterAuthSecret === undefined) delete process.env[betterAuthSecretEnv];
+    else process.env[betterAuthSecretEnv] = originalEnv.betterAuthSecret;
     if (originalEnv.ttl === undefined) delete process.env[ttlEnv];
     else process.env[ttlEnv] = originalEnv.ttl;
     if (originalEnv.issuer === undefined) delete process.env[issuerEnv];
@@ -57,6 +62,22 @@ describe("agent local JWT", () => {
     expect(verifyLocalAgentJwt("abc.def.ghi")).toBeNull();
   });
 
+  it("falls back to BETTER_AUTH_SECRET when PAPERCLIP_AGENT_JWT_SECRET is absent", () => {
+    delete process.env[secretEnv];
+    process.env[betterAuthSecretEnv] = "fallback-secret";
+    vi.setSystemTime(new Date("2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z"));
+    const token = createLocalAgentJwt("agent-1", "company-1", "claude_local", "run-1");
+    expect(typeof token).toBe("string");
+
+    const claims = verifyLocalAgentJwt(token!);
+    expect(claims).toMatchObject({
+      sub: "agent-1",
+      company_id: "company-1",
+      adapter_type: "claude_local",
+      run_id: "run-1",
+    });
+  });
+
   it("rejects expired tokens", () => {
     process.env[ttlEnv] = "1";
     vi.setSystemTime(new Date("2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z"));
diff --git a/server/src/agent-auth-jwt.ts b/server/src/agent-auth-jwt.ts
index 6ec696b9..728461b0 100644
--- a/server/src/agent-auth-jwt.ts
+++ b/server/src/agent-auth-jwt.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ function parseNumber(value: string | undefined, fallback: number) {
 }
 
 function jwtConfig() {
-  const secret = process.env.PAPERCLIP_AGENT_JWT_SECRET;
+  const secret = process.env.PAPERCLIP_AGENT_JWT_SECRET?.trim() || process.env.BETTER_AUTH_SECRET?.trim();
   if (!secret) return null;
 
   return {