diff --git a/b2b-marketing-assistant/b2b_marketing_orchestrator.py b/b2b-marketing-assistant/b2b_marketing_orchestrator.py
index 450532b1..653c4eef 100644
--- a/b2b-marketing-assistant/b2b_marketing_orchestrator.py
+++ b/b2b-marketing-assistant/b2b_marketing_orchestrator.py
@@ -333,12 +333,11 @@ PROMPTS = {
 # --- API & SCRAPING HELPERS ---
 
 def load_api_key():
-    try:
-        with open("gemini_api_key.txt", "r") as f:
-            return f.read().strip()
-    except FileNotFoundError:
-        logging.error("API key file 'gemini_api_key.txt' not found.")
+    api_key = os.getenv("GEMINI_API_KEY")
+    if not api_key:
+        logging.error("GEMINI_API_KEY environment variable not found.")
         return None
+    return api_key
 
 def call_gemini_api(prompt, api_key, retries=3):
     url = f"https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1/models/gemini-2.5-flash:generateContent?key={api_key}"
diff --git a/content-engine/Dockerfile b/content-engine/Dockerfile
index e1c26379..5463eb14 100644
--- a/content-engine/Dockerfile
+++ b/content-engine/Dockerfile
@@ -35,8 +35,5 @@ COPY config.py ./
 # Copy built frontend
 COPY --from=frontend-build /app/frontend/dist ./dist
 
-# Keys and persistence placeholders
-RUN touch gemini_api_key.txt serpapikey.txt
-
 EXPOSE 3006
 CMD ["node", "server.cjs"]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/dockerfiles/Dockerfile.market b/dockerfiles/Dockerfile.market
index df3793f0..2ae20a74 100644
--- a/dockerfiles/Dockerfile.market
+++ b/dockerfiles/Dockerfile.market
@@ -24,10 +24,9 @@ RUN cd general-market-intelligence && npm install --omit=dev
 
 # 4. App Code
 COPY general-market-intelligence/server.cjs ./general-market-intelligence/
-COPY market_intel_orchestrator.py .
+COPY general-market-intelligence/market_intel_orchestrator.py .
 COPY market_db_manager.py .
 COPY config.py .
-COPY gemini_api_key.txt .
 # (Falls helpers.py existiert, wird sie durch docker-compose volume gemountet, aber wir kopieren sie für Standalone-Builds)
 COPY helpers.py .
 
diff --git a/general-market-intelligence/market_intel_orchestrator.py b/general-market-intelligence/market_intel_orchestrator.py
index 179cbf55..247476dc 100644
--- a/general-market-intelligence/market_intel_orchestrator.py
+++ b/general-market-intelligence/market_intel_orchestrator.py
@@ -37,26 +37,24 @@ logging.basicConfig(
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 # --- END AUTARKES LOGGING SETUP --- #
 
-def load_gemini_api_key(file_path="gemini_api_key.txt"):
-    try:
-        with open(file_path, "r") as f:
-            api_key = f.read().strip()
-        return api_key
-    except Exception as e:
-        logger.critical(f"Fehler beim Laden des Gemini API Keys: {e}")
-        raise
+def load_gemini_api_key(file_path=None):
+    """Loads the Gemini API Key from environment variables."""
+    api_key = os.getenv("GEMINI_API_KEY")
+    if not api_key:
+        logger.critical("Gemini API Key not found in environment variables.")
+        # Fallback for local dev if absolutely necessary, but prefer env
+        if file_path and os.path.exists(file_path):
+             with open(file_path, "r") as f: return f.read().strip()
+        raise ValueError("GEMINI_API_KEY not set")
+    return api_key
 
-def load_serp_api_key(file_path="serpapikey.txt"):
-    """Lädt den SerpAPI Key. Gibt None zurück, wenn nicht gefunden."""
-    try:
-        if os.path.exists(file_path):
-            with open(file_path, "r") as f:
-                return f.read().strip()
-        # Fallback: Versuche Umgebungsvariable
-        return os.environ.get("SERP_API_KEY")
-    except Exception as e:
-        logger.warning(f"Konnte SerpAPI Key nicht laden: {e}")
+def load_serp_api_key(file_path=None):
+    """Loads the SerpAPI Key from environment variables."""
+    api_key = os.getenv("SERP_API_KEY")
+    if not api_key:
+        logger.warning("SerpAPI Key not found in environment variables.")
         return None
+    return api_key
 
 def get_website_text(url):
     # Auto-fix missing scheme