diff --git a/docs/src/stack.ts b/docs/src/stack.ts
index fe78fad3f..95cc55c41 100644
--- a/docs/src/stack.ts
+++ b/docs/src/stack.ts
@@ -1,13 +1,22 @@
 import { StackServerApp } from '@hexclave/next';
 import "server-only";
 
+const placeholderPrefix = "#";
+
+function envOrUndefined(value: string | undefined): string | undefined {
+  if (value == null || value === "" || value.startsWith(placeholderPrefix)) {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+  return value;
+}
+
 // Explicitly configure Stack Auth for docs app
 export const stackServerApp = new StackServerApp({
   tokenStore: "nextjs-cookie",
-  projectId: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_HEXCLAVE_PROJECT_ID || process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_STACK_PROJECT_ID || "internal",
-  publishableClientKey: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_HEXCLAVE_PUBLISHABLE_CLIENT_KEY || process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_STACK_PUBLISHABLE_CLIENT_KEY,
-  secretServerKey: process.env.HEXCLAVE_SECRET_SERVER_KEY || process.env.STACK_SECRET_SERVER_KEY,
-  baseUrl: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_HEXCLAVE_API_URL || process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_STACK_API_URL,
+  projectId: envOrUndefined(process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_HEXCLAVE_PROJECT_ID) ?? envOrUndefined(process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_STACK_PROJECT_ID) ?? "internal",
+  publishableClientKey: envOrUndefined(process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_HEXCLAVE_PUBLISHABLE_CLIENT_KEY) ?? envOrUndefined(process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_STACK_PUBLISHABLE_CLIENT_KEY),
+  secretServerKey: envOrUndefined(process.env.HEXCLAVE_SECRET_SERVER_KEY) ?? envOrUndefined(process.env.STACK_SECRET_SERVER_KEY) ?? "this-secret-server-key-is-for-local-development-only",
+  baseUrl: envOrUndefined(process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_HEXCLAVE_API_URL) ?? envOrUndefined(process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_STACK_API_URL),
   analytics: {
     replays: {
       enabled: true,