diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 9cdc42b..6d29e22 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@ JWT_SECRET=super_secret_jwt_key_123
 # When TURNSTILE_SECRET is empty, backend CAPTCHA enforcement is disabled.
 TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY=
 TURNSTILE_SECRET=
+# Backward-compatible aliases also accepted by the backend:
+# VITE_TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY=
+# TURNSTILE_SECRET_KEY=
 
 # --- Frontend Configuration (Optional) ---
 # If you need to override the API URL for the frontend
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 443f05f..28c93a0 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -120,6 +120,9 @@ TURNSTILE_SECRET
 `TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY` with Cloudflare's public site key so the login page can load
 the verification widget at runtime.
 
+The backend also accepts `VITE_TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY` as a site-key alias and
+`TURNSTILE_SECRET_KEY` as a secret alias for older deployments.
+
 ## Validation
 
 ```bash
diff --git a/backend/config.js b/backend/config.js
index 7086dc1..02a7f25 100644
--- a/backend/config.js
+++ b/backend/config.js
@@ -1,5 +1,18 @@
 require('dotenv').config();
 
+const TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY =
+    process.env.TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY ||
+    process.env.TURNSTILE_SITEKEY ||
+    process.env.VITE_TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY ||
+    process.env.CLOUDFLARE_TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY ||
+    '';
+
+const TURNSTILE_SECRET =
+    process.env.TURNSTILE_SECRET ||
+    process.env.TURNSTILE_SECRET_KEY ||
+    process.env.CLOUDFLARE_TURNSTILE_SECRET ||
+    '';
+
 module.exports = {
     PORT: process.env.PORT || 3004,
     API_KEY: process.env.API_KEY || 'nexstar_secret_key_123',
@@ -8,6 +21,6 @@ module.exports = {
     JWT_SECRET: process.env.JWT_SECRET || 'super_secret_jwt_key_123',
     DATABASE_URL: process.env.DATABASE_URL || 'postgres://graphuser:graphpassword@localhost:5432/graphdb',
     N8N_WHATSAPP_TRIGGER_URL: process.env.N8N_WHATSAPP_TRIGGER_URL || 'http://localhost:5678/webhook/whatsapp',
-    TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY: process.env.TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY || process.env.VITE_TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY || '',
-    TURNSTILE_SECRET: process.env.TURNSTILE_SECRET || process.env.TURNSTILE_SECRET_KEY || ''
+    TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY,
+    TURNSTILE_SECRET
 };
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 297f917..3528490 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -27,8 +27,11 @@ services:
       - ADMIN_PASSWORD=${ADMIN_PASSWORD:-admin123}
       - JWT_SECRET=${JWT_SECRET:-super_secret_jwt_key_123}
       - N8N_WHATSAPP_TRIGGER_URL=${N8N_WHATSAPP_TRIGGER_URL:-http://localhost:5678/webhook/whatsapp}
-      - TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY=${TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY:-${VITE_TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY:-}}
-      - TURNSTILE_SECRET=${TURNSTILE_SECRET:-${TURNSTILE_SECRET_KEY:-}}
+      - TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY=${TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY:-}
+      - TURNSTILE_SITEKEY=${TURNSTILE_SITEKEY:-}
+      - VITE_TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY=${VITE_TURNSTILE_SITE_KEY:-}
+      - TURNSTILE_SECRET=${TURNSTILE_SECRET:-}
+      - TURNSTILE_SECRET_KEY=${TURNSTILE_SECRET_KEY:-}
     depends_on:
       - db
     restart: unless-stopped