diff --git a/ui/src/pages/AppsTab/AppsTab.tsx b/ui/src/pages/AppsTab/AppsTab.tsx
index 6a884b93..0fbca0a7 100644
--- a/ui/src/pages/AppsTab/AppsTab.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/pages/AppsTab/AppsTab.tsx
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ function CreateAppView({ environments, selectedEnv }: { environments: Environmen
   const [newPort, setNewPort] = useState('');
   const [envVars, setEnvVars] = useState<{ key: string; value: string }[]>([]);
 
-  const [configTab, setConfigTab] = useState<'monitoring' | 'resources'>('monitoring');
+  const [configTab, setConfigTab] = useState<'variables' | 'monitoring' | 'resources'>('variables');
   const [busy, setBusy] = useState(false);
   const [step, setStep] = useState('');
 
@@ -309,10 +309,29 @@ function CreateAppView({ environments, selectedEnv }: { environments: Environmen
 
       {/* Config Tabs */}
       <div className={styles.subTabs}>
+        <button className={`${styles.subTab} ${configTab === 'variables' ? styles.subTabActive : ''}`} onClick={() => setConfigTab('variables')}>Variables</button>
         <button className={`${styles.subTab} ${configTab === 'monitoring' ? styles.subTabActive : ''}`} onClick={() => setConfigTab('monitoring')}>Monitoring</button>
         <button className={`${styles.subTab} ${configTab === 'resources' ? styles.subTabActive : ''}`} onClick={() => setConfigTab('resources')}>Resources</button>
       </div>
 
+      {configTab === 'variables' && (
+        <>
+          {envVars.map((v, i) => (
+            <div key={i} className={styles.envVarRow}>
+              <Input disabled={busy} value={v.key} onChange={(e) => {
+                const next = [...envVars]; next[i] = { ...v, key: e.target.value }; setEnvVars(next);
+              }} className={styles.envVarKey} placeholder="KEY" />
+              <Input disabled={busy} value={v.value} onChange={(e) => {
+                const next = [...envVars]; next[i] = { ...v, value: e.target.value }; setEnvVars(next);
+              }} className={styles.envVarValue} placeholder="value" />
+              <button className={styles.envVarDelete} disabled={busy}
+                onClick={() => !busy && setEnvVars(envVars.filter((_, j) => j !== i))}>&times;</button>
+            </div>
+          ))}
+          <Button size="sm" variant="secondary" disabled={busy} onClick={() => setEnvVars([...envVars, { key: '', value: '' }])}>+ Add Variable</Button>
+        </>
+      )}
+
       {configTab === 'monitoring' && (
         <div className={styles.configGrid}>
           <span className={styles.configLabel}>Engine Level</span>
@@ -412,21 +431,6 @@ function CreateAppView({ environments, selectedEnv }: { environments: Environmen
                 onKeyDown={(e) => { if (e.key === 'Enter') { e.preventDefault(); addPort(); } }} />
             </div>
           </div>
-
-          <SectionHeader>Environment Variables</SectionHeader>
-          {envVars.map((v, i) => (
-            <div key={i} className={styles.envVarRow}>
-              <Input disabled={busy} value={v.key} onChange={(e) => {
-                const next = [...envVars]; next[i] = { ...v, key: e.target.value }; setEnvVars(next);
-              }} className={styles.envVarKey} placeholder="KEY" />
-              <Input disabled={busy} value={v.value} onChange={(e) => {
-                const next = [...envVars]; next[i] = { ...v, value: e.target.value }; setEnvVars(next);
-              }} className={styles.envVarValue} placeholder="value" />
-              <button className={styles.envVarDelete} disabled={busy}
-                onClick={() => !busy && setEnvVars(envVars.filter((_, j) => j !== i))}>&times;</button>
-            </div>
-          ))}
-          <Button size="sm" variant="secondary" disabled={busy} onClick={() => setEnvVars([...envVars, { key: '', value: '' }])}>+ Add Variable</Button>
         </>
       )}
     </div>
@@ -647,7 +651,7 @@ function ConfigSubTab({ app, environment }: { app: App; environment?: Environmen
   const { data: processorToRoute = {} } = useProcessorRouteMapping(app.slug);
   const isProd = environment?.production ?? false;
   const [editing, setEditing] = useState(false);
-  const [configTab, setConfigTab] = useState<'monitoring' | 'traces' | 'recording' | 'resources'>('monitoring');
+  const [configTab, setConfigTab] = useState<'variables' | 'monitoring' | 'traces' | 'recording' | 'resources'>('variables');
 
   const appRoutes: RouteSummary[] = useMemo(() => {
     if (!catalog) return [];
@@ -840,12 +844,34 @@ function ConfigSubTab({ app, environment }: { app: App; environment?: Environmen
       )}
 
       <div className={styles.subTabs}>
+        <button className={`${styles.subTab} ${configTab === 'variables' ? styles.subTabActive : ''}`} onClick={() => setConfigTab('variables')}>Variables</button>
         <button className={`${styles.subTab} ${configTab === 'monitoring' ? styles.subTabActive : ''}`} onClick={() => setConfigTab('monitoring')}>Monitoring</button>
         <button className={`${styles.subTab} ${configTab === 'traces' ? styles.subTabActive : ''}`} onClick={() => setConfigTab('traces')}>Traces & Taps</button>
         <button className={`${styles.subTab} ${configTab === 'recording' ? styles.subTabActive : ''}`} onClick={() => setConfigTab('recording')}>Route Recording</button>
         <button className={`${styles.subTab} ${configTab === 'resources' ? styles.subTabActive : ''}`} onClick={() => setConfigTab('resources')}>Resources</button>
       </div>
 
+      {configTab === 'variables' && (
+        <>
+          {envVars.map((v, i) => (
+            <div key={i} className={styles.envVarRow}>
+              <Input disabled={!editing} value={v.key} onChange={(e) => {
+                const next = [...envVars]; next[i] = { ...v, key: e.target.value }; setEnvVars(next);
+              }} className={styles.envVarKey} placeholder="KEY" />
+              <Input disabled={!editing} value={v.value} onChange={(e) => {
+                const next = [...envVars]; next[i] = { ...v, value: e.target.value }; setEnvVars(next);
+              }} className={styles.envVarValue} placeholder="value" />
+              <button className={styles.envVarDelete} disabled={!editing}
+                onClick={() => editing && setEnvVars(envVars.filter((_, j) => j !== i))}>&times;</button>
+            </div>
+          ))}
+          {editing && (
+            <Button size="sm" variant="secondary" onClick={() => setEnvVars([...envVars, { key: '', value: '' }])}>+ Add Variable</Button>
+          )}
+          {envVars.length === 0 && !editing && <p className={styles.emptyNote}>No environment variables configured.</p>}
+        </>
+      )}
+
       {configTab === 'monitoring' && (
         <div className={styles.configGrid}>
           <span className={styles.configLabel}>Engine Level</span>
@@ -964,24 +990,6 @@ function ConfigSubTab({ app, environment }: { app: App; environment?: Environmen
                 onKeyDown={(e) => { if (e.key === 'Enter') { e.preventDefault(); addPort(); } }} />
             </div>
           </div>
-
-          {/* Environment Variables */}
-          <SectionHeader>Environment Variables</SectionHeader>
-          {envVars.map((v, i) => (
-            <div key={i} className={styles.envVarRow}>
-              <Input disabled={!editing} value={v.key} onChange={(e) => {
-                const next = [...envVars]; next[i] = { ...v, key: e.target.value }; setEnvVars(next);
-              }} className={styles.envVarKey} />
-              <Input disabled={!editing} value={v.value} onChange={(e) => {
-                const next = [...envVars]; next[i] = { ...v, value: e.target.value }; setEnvVars(next);
-              }} className={styles.envVarValue} />
-              <button className={styles.envVarDelete} disabled={!editing}
-                onClick={() => editing && setEnvVars(envVars.filter((_, j) => j !== i))}>&times;</button>
-            </div>
-          ))}
-          {editing && (
-            <Button size="sm" variant="secondary" onClick={() => setEnvVars([...envVars, { key: '', value: '' }])}>+ Add Variable</Button>
-          )}
         </>
       )}
     </>