diff --git a/apps/coordinator-api/src/app/config.py b/apps/coordinator-api/src/app/config.py
index 39a02069..34d057a7 100755
--- a/apps/coordinator-api/src/app/config.py
+++ b/apps/coordinator-api/src/app/config.py
@@ -61,6 +61,21 @@ class Settings(BaseSettings):
     miner_api_keys: list[str] = []
     admin_api_keys: list[str] = []
 
+    @field_validator("client_api_keys", "miner_api_keys", "admin_api_keys", mode="before")
+    @classmethod
+    def parse_api_keys(cls, v: str | list[str]) -> list[str]:
+        import json
+        if isinstance(v, str):
+            try:
+                parsed = json.loads(v)
+                if isinstance(parsed, list):
+                    return parsed
+            except (json.JSONDecodeError, TypeError):
+                pass
+            # Fall back to comma-separated
+            return [k.strip() for k in v.split(",") if k.strip()]
+        return v
+
     @field_validator("client_api_keys", "miner_api_keys", "admin_api_keys")
     @classmethod
     def validate_api_keys(cls, v: list[str]) -> list[str]:
diff --git a/examples/env.example b/examples/env.example
index 4a47cd0a..223cc2c5 100644
--- a/examples/env.example
+++ b/examples/env.example
@@ -47,9 +47,9 @@ SECRET_KEY=production-secret-key-change-me-in-production
 JWT_SECRET=production-jwt-secret-32-chars-long
 BLOCKCHAIN_API_KEY=production-api-key-change-me
 COORDINATOR_API_KEY=admin_prod_key_use_real_value
-CLIENT_API_KEYS='["client_prod_key_use_real_value"]'
-MINER_API_KEYS='["miner_prod_key_use_real_value"]'
-ADMIN_API_KEYS='["admin_prod_key_use_real_value"]'
+CLIENT_API_KEYS=["client_prod_key_use_real_value"]
+MINER_API_KEYS=["miner_prod_key_use_real_value"]
+ADMIN_API_KEYS=["admin_prod_key_use_real_value"]
 HMAC_SECRET=change_this_to_a_32_byte_random_secret
 
 # =========================