diff --git a/.env.coolify.example b/.env.coolify.example
index 2dad7a8..6e4c910 100644
--- a/.env.coolify.example
+++ b/.env.coolify.example
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ S3_SECURE=true
 
 # --- External Qdrant (Coolify-managed) ---
 QDRANT_URL=http://<coolify-qdrant-hostname>:6333
+QDRANT_API_KEY=
 
 # --- SMTP (Real mail server) ---
 SMTP_HOST=smtp.example.com
diff --git a/docker-compose.coolify.yml b/docker-compose.coolify.yml
index c0654cd..9ac398a 100644
--- a/docker-compose.coolify.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.coolify.yml
@@ -143,6 +143,7 @@ services:
     environment:
       PORT: 8097
       QDRANT_URL: ${QDRANT_URL}
+      QDRANT_API_KEY: ${QDRANT_API_KEY:-}
       MINIO_ENDPOINT: ${S3_ENDPOINT}
       MINIO_ACCESS_KEY: ${S3_ACCESS_KEY}
       MINIO_SECRET_KEY: ${S3_SECRET_KEY}
diff --git a/rag-service/config.py b/rag-service/config.py
index 951c04f..483308b 100644
--- a/rag-service/config.py
+++ b/rag-service/config.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ class Settings:
 
     # Qdrant
     QDRANT_URL: str = os.getenv("QDRANT_URL", "http://localhost:6333")
+    QDRANT_API_KEY: str = os.getenv("QDRANT_API_KEY", "")
 
     # MinIO
     MINIO_ENDPOINT: str = os.getenv("MINIO_ENDPOINT", "localhost:9000")
diff --git a/rag-service/qdrant_client_wrapper.py b/rag-service/qdrant_client_wrapper.py
index c4b27e4..daeafda 100644
--- a/rag-service/qdrant_client_wrapper.py
+++ b/rag-service/qdrant_client_wrapper.py
@@ -48,7 +48,11 @@ class QdrantClientWrapper:
     @property
     def client(self) -> QdrantClient:
         if self._client is None:
-            self._client = QdrantClient(url=settings.QDRANT_URL, timeout=30)
+            self._client = QdrantClient(
+                url=settings.QDRANT_URL,
+                api_key=settings.QDRANT_API_KEY or None,
+                timeout=30,
+            )
             logger.info("Connected to Qdrant at %s", settings.QDRANT_URL)
         return self._client