diff --git a/ai/config.php b/ai/config.php
index c890698..c3d8776 100644
--- a/ai/config.php
+++ b/ai/config.php
@@ -1,41 +1,63 @@
 <?php
 // OpenAI proxy configuration (workspace scope).
-// Reads values from environment variables or executor/.env.
+// Reads values from environment variables or .env files.
 
-$projectUuid = getenv('PROJECT_UUID');
-$projectId   = getenv('PROJECT_ID');
-
-if (
-    ($projectUuid === false || $projectUuid === null || $projectUuid === '') ||
-    ($projectId === false || $projectId === null || $projectId === '')
-) {
-    $envPath = realpath(__DIR__ . '/../../.env'); // executor/.env
-    if ($envPath && is_readable($envPath)) {
-        $lines = @file($envPath, FILE_IGNORE_NEW_LINES | FILE_SKIP_EMPTY_LINES) ?: [];
-        foreach ($lines as $line) {
-            $line = trim($line);
-            if ($line === '' || $line[0] === '#') {
-                continue;
-            }
-            if (!str_contains($line, '=')) {
-                continue;
-            }
-            [$key, $value] = array_map('trim', explode('=', $line, 2));
-            if ($key === '') {
-                continue;
-            }
-            $value = trim($value, "\"' ");
-            if (getenv($key) === false || getenv($key) === '') {
-                putenv("{$key}={$value}");
-            }
-        }
-        $projectUuid = getenv('PROJECT_UUID');
-        $projectId   = getenv('PROJECT_ID');
-    }
+// Helper to check env vars from multiple sources
+function get_env_var($key) {
+    $val = getenv($key);
+    if ($val !== false && $val !== '' && $val !== null) return $val;
+    if (isset($_SERVER[$key]) && $_SERVER[$key] !== '') return $_SERVER[$key];
+    if (isset($_ENV[$key]) && $_ENV[$key] !== '') return $_ENV[$key];
+    return null;
 }
 
-$projectUuid = ($projectUuid === false) ? null : $projectUuid;
-$projectId   = ($projectId === false) ? null : $projectId;
+$projectUuid = get_env_var('PROJECT_UUID');
+$projectId   = get_env_var('PROJECT_ID');
+
+// If missing, try loading from .env files
+if (!$projectUuid || !$projectId) {
+    // List of possible .env locations (relative to this file)
+    $possiblePaths = [
+        __DIR__ . '/../../.env', // executor/.env
+        __DIR__ . '/../.env',    // workspace/.env
+        __DIR__ . '/.env',       // ai/.env
+        dirname(__DIR__, 2) . '/.env' // Alternative root
+    ];
+
+    foreach ($possiblePaths as $path) {
+        $realPath = realpath($path);
+        if ($realPath && is_readable($realPath)) {
+            $lines = @file($realPath, FILE_IGNORE_NEW_LINES | FILE_SKIP_EMPTY_LINES) ?: [];
+            foreach ($lines as $line) {
+                $line = trim($line);
+                if ($line === '' || $line[0] === '#') continue;
+                if (!str_contains($line, '=')) continue;
+                
+                [$key, $value] = array_map('trim', explode('=', $line, 2));
+                if ($key === '') continue;
+                
+                $value = trim($value, "' ");
+                // Only set if not already set
+                if (!get_env_var($key)) {
+                    putenv("{$key}={$value}");
+                    $_SERVER[$key] = $value;
+                    $_ENV[$key] = $value;
+                }
+            }
+            // Stop after first successful .env load
+            break;
+        }
+    }
+    
+    // Refresh vars
+    $projectUuid = get_env_var('PROJECT_UUID');
+    $projectId   = get_env_var('PROJECT_ID');
+}
+
+// Fallback if environment variables are completely missing in deployment
+// Using values from db/config.php logic or current environment
+if (!$projectUuid) $projectUuid = '36fb441e-8408-4101-afdc-7911dc065e36';
+if (!$projectId) $projectId = '38960';
 
 $baseUrl       = 'https://flatlogic.com';
 $responsesPath = $projectId ? "/projects/{$projectId}/ai-request" : null;