diff --git a/client/src/proxy.ts b/client/src/proxy.ts
index bcbc1e4..26c5b4a 100644
--- a/client/src/proxy.ts
+++ b/client/src/proxy.ts
@@ -20,14 +20,20 @@ async function refreshTokenMiddleware (refreshToken : string) : Promise<boolean>
 
 export async function proxy (request : NextRequest) {
    try {
+         const accessTokenSecret = process.env.JWT_ACCESS_SECRET || process.env.ACCESS_TOKEN_SECRET;
+
+         if(!accessTokenSecret){
+                console.error("Missing JWT_ACCESS_SECRET/ACCESS_TOKEN_SECRET in ph-client runtime environment");
+         }
+
        const { pathname } = request.nextUrl; // eg /dashboard, /admin/dashboard, /doctor/dashboard
     const pathWithQuery = `${pathname}${request.nextUrl.search}`;
        const accessToken = request.cookies.get("accessToken")?.value;
        const refreshToken = request.cookies.get("refreshToken")?.value;
 
-       const decodedAccessToken =  accessToken && jwtUtils.verifyToken(accessToken, process.env.JWT_ACCESS_SECRET as string).data;
+         const decodedAccessToken =  accessToken && accessTokenSecret && jwtUtils.verifyToken(accessToken, accessTokenSecret).data;
 
-       const isValidAccessToken = accessToken && jwtUtils.verifyToken(accessToken, process.env.JWT_ACCESS_SECRET as string).success;
+         const isValidAccessToken = Boolean(accessToken && accessTokenSecret && jwtUtils.verifyToken(accessToken, accessTokenSecret).success);
 
        let userRole: UserRole | null = null;
 
@@ -45,7 +51,7 @@ export async function proxy (request : NextRequest) {
 
 
        //proactively refresh token if refresh token exists and access token is expired or about to expire
-       if (isValidAccessToken && refreshToken && (await isTokenExpiringSoon(accessToken))){
+    if (isValidAccessToken && accessToken && refreshToken && (await isTokenExpiringSoon(accessToken))){
             const requestHeaders = new Headers(request.headers);
 
             const response = NextResponse.next({
diff --git a/docker-compose.prod.yaml b/docker-compose.prod.yaml
index d97613a..d28f4e2 100644
--- a/docker-compose.prod.yaml
+++ b/docker-compose.prod.yaml
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@ services:
     image: ${REGISTRY}/${IMAGE_NAMESPACE}/ph-healthcare-client:${IMAGE_TAG}
     container_name: ph-client
     restart: unless-stopped
+    environment:
+      JWT_ACCESS_SECRET: ${JWT_ACCESS_SECRET}
+      ACCESS_TOKEN_SECRET: ${JWT_ACCESS_SECRET}
     depends_on:
       - ph-server
     networks: