diff --git a/apps/teacher_app/pubspec.lock b/apps/teacher_app/pubspec.lock
index 24ba122..e1ae340 100644
--- a/apps/teacher_app/pubspec.lock
+++ b/apps/teacher_app/pubspec.lock
@@ -340,10 +340,10 @@ packages:
     dependency: transitive
     description:
       name: matcher
-      sha256: dc0b7dc7651697ea4ff3e69ef44b0407ea32c487a39fff6a4004fa585e901861
+      sha256: "12956d0ad8390bbcc63ca2e1469c0619946ccb52809807067a7020d57e647aa6"
       url: "https://pub.dev"
     source: hosted
-    version: "0.12.19"
+    version: "0.12.18"
   material_color_utilities:
     dependency: transitive
     description:
@@ -356,10 +356,10 @@ packages:
     dependency: transitive
     description:
       name: meta
-      sha256: "1741988757a65eb6b36abe716829688cf01910bbf91c34354ff7ec1c3de2b349"
+      sha256: "23f08335362185a5ea2ad3a4e597f1375e78bce8a040df5c600c8d3552ef2394"
       url: "https://pub.dev"
     source: hosted
-    version: "1.18.0"
+    version: "1.17.0"
   nested:
     dependency: transitive
     description:
@@ -585,10 +585,10 @@ packages:
     dependency: transitive
     description:
       name: test_api
-      sha256: "949a932224383300f01be9221c39180316445ecb8e7547f70a41a35bf421fb9e"
+      sha256: "93167629bfc610f71560ab9312acdda4959de4df6fac7492c89ff0d3886f6636"
       url: "https://pub.dev"
     source: hosted
-    version: "0.7.11"
+    version: "0.7.9"
   typed_data:
     dependency: transitive
     description:
diff --git a/backend/app/Services/AiVideoAnalyzerService.php b/backend/app/Services/AiVideoAnalyzerService.php
index 40ee466..11521ea 100644
--- a/backend/app/Services/AiVideoAnalyzerService.php
+++ b/backend/app/Services/AiVideoAnalyzerService.php
@@ -18,9 +18,36 @@ namespace App\Services;
 
 use App\Core\Database;
 use App\Core\Security;
+use App\Core\RedisClient;
 
 class AiVideoAnalyzerService
 {
+    /**
+     * Select a Gemini key from the configured comma-separated pool. Redis
+     * provides a process-safe round robin counter across PHP-FPM workers.
+     * No key material is logged or returned to callers.
+     */
+    private static function nextGeminiApiKey(): string
+    {
+        $raw = trim((string)(getenv('GEMINI_API_KEYS') ?: getenv('GEMINI_API_KEY') ?: ''));
+        $keys = array_values(array_filter(array_map('trim', explode(',', $raw))));
+        if (empty($keys)) {
+            return '';
+        }
+        if (count($keys) === 1) {
+            return $keys[0];
+        }
+
+        try {
+            $turn = (int)RedisClient::getInstance()->incr('saqel:gemini:round_robin');
+            return $keys[($turn - 1) % count($keys)];
+        } catch (\Throwable $e) {
+            // The analysis can still proceed during a Redis outage. The time
+            // bucket alternates keys without exposing either value.
+            return $keys[(int)(floor(time() / 60) % count($keys))];
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * Fail-closed admission gate for teacher uploads. The media stays in PHP's
      * temporary upload area until Gemini and technical checks approve it.
@@ -50,7 +77,7 @@ class AiVideoAnalyzerService
         if (!$hasVideo || !$hasAudio || $duration <= 0 || $duration > 1500) {
             return ['decision' => 'rejected', 'reason' => 'الفيديو يجب أن يحتوي صورة وصوتاً وأن لا يتجاوز 25 دقيقة', 'duration_seconds' => $duration];
         }
-        $key = trim((string)getenv('GEMINI_API_KEY'));
+        $key = self::nextGeminiApiKey();
         if ($key === '') return ['decision' => 'needs_manual_review', 'reason' => 'Gemini غير مهيأ؛ لم يتم رفع الفيديو', 'duration_seconds' => $duration];
 
         // Extract a representative frame; Gemini receives real media evidence,
@@ -200,7 +227,7 @@ class AiVideoAnalyzerService
     public static function evaluatePedagogicalQuality(int $lessonId, string $lessonTitle, int $duration, array $curriculum): array
     {
         try {
-            $geminiKey = getenv('GEMINI_API_KEY');
+            $geminiKey = self::nextGeminiApiKey();
             $alignmentScore = 0.0;
             $clarityScore = 0.0;
             $outcomes = [
@@ -312,7 +339,7 @@ class AiVideoAnalyzerService
      */
     private static function generateAnalysis(string $lessonTitle, int $duration, array $curriculum): array
     {
-        $geminiKey = getenv('GEMINI_API_KEY');
+        $geminiKey = self::nextGeminiApiKey();
 
         if (!empty($geminiKey)) {
             try {
diff --git a/backend/app/bootstrap.php b/backend/app/bootstrap.php
index 059323e..87f9587 100644
--- a/backend/app/bootstrap.php
+++ b/backend/app/bootstrap.php
@@ -27,22 +27,28 @@ spl_autoload_register(function ($class) {
 
 // 2. Load Environment Variables with Multi-Path Fallback
 try {
-    $candidatePaths = [
-        '/home/intaleqapp-saqel/.env',
-        '/home/intaleqapp-saqel/htdocs/saqel.intaleqapp.com/.env',
-        '/home/intaleqapp-saqel/htdocs/saqel.intaleqapp.com/saqel/.env',
-        '/home/intaleqapp-saqel/htdocs/saqel.intaleqapp.com/saqel/backend/.env',
-        APP_ROOT . '/.env',
-        APP_ROOT . '/../.env'
-    ];
-
+    // Production secrets belong outside the web/document root. Do not load
+    // backend/.env: it may be a placeholder and must never shadow the real
+    // CloudPanel environment file.
+    $envPath = getenv('SAQEL_ENV_FILE') ?: '/home/intaleqapp-saqel/.env';
     $loaded = false;
-    foreach ($candidatePaths as $path) {
-        if (file_exists($path)) {
-            define('LOADED_ENV_PATH', $path);
-            \App\Core\Env::load($path);
-            $loaded = true;
-            break;
+    if (file_exists($envPath)) {
+        \App\Core\Env::load($envPath);
+        define('LOADED_ENV_PATH', $envPath);
+        $loaded = true;
+
+        // Support either GEMINI_API_KEYS=key1,key2 or the legacy singular
+        // variable containing a comma-separated pool. Legacy services receive
+        // one safe key; services with round-robin support consume the pool.
+        $geminiPool = trim((string)(getenv('GEMINI_API_KEYS') ?: getenv('GEMINI_API_KEY') ?: ''));
+        $geminiKeys = array_values(array_filter(array_map('trim', explode(',', $geminiPool))));
+        if (!empty($geminiKeys)) {
+            putenv('GEMINI_API_KEYS=' . implode(',', $geminiKeys));
+            $_ENV['GEMINI_API_KEYS'] = implode(',', $geminiKeys);
+            $_SERVER['GEMINI_API_KEYS'] = implode(',', $geminiKeys);
+            putenv('GEMINI_API_KEY=' . $geminiKeys[0]);
+            $_ENV['GEMINI_API_KEY'] = $geminiKeys[0];
+            $_SERVER['GEMINI_API_KEY'] = $geminiKeys[0];
         }
     }