diff --git a/cameleer3-server-app/src/main/java/com/cameleer3/server/app/security/SecurityBeanConfig.java b/cameleer3-server-app/src/main/java/com/cameleer3/server/app/security/SecurityBeanConfig.java
index ef3adb54..91a0bf70 100644
--- a/cameleer3-server-app/src/main/java/com/cameleer3/server/app/security/SecurityBeanConfig.java
+++ b/cameleer3-server-app/src/main/java/com/cameleer3/server/app/security/SecurityBeanConfig.java
@@ -22,7 +22,11 @@ public class SecurityBeanConfig {
 
     @Bean
     public Ed25519SigningServiceImpl ed25519SigningService(SecurityProperties properties) {
-        return new Ed25519SigningServiceImpl(properties.getJwtSecret());
+        String secret = properties.getJwtSecret();
+        if (secret == null || secret.isBlank()) {
+            return Ed25519SigningServiceImpl.ephemeral();
+        }
+        return new Ed25519SigningServiceImpl(secret);
     }
 
     @Bean
diff --git a/cameleer3-server-app/src/test/resources/application-test.yml b/cameleer3-server-app/src/test/resources/application-test.yml
index cb49626d..e17b8027 100644
--- a/cameleer3-server-app/src/test/resources/application-test.yml
+++ b/cameleer3-server-app/src/test/resources/application-test.yml
@@ -17,4 +17,3 @@ agent-registry:
 security:
   bootstrap-token: test-bootstrap-token
   bootstrap-token-previous: old-bootstrap-token
-  jwt-secret: test-jwt-secret-for-ed25519-derivation