diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index f397c42..c1d60f6 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -49,6 +49,9 @@ pub struct Config {
     pub journal_max: usize,
     /// Ordered context groups for session-start loading.
     pub context_groups: Vec<ContextGroup>,
+    /// Separate API key for background agent work (daemon jobs).
+    /// If set, passed as ANTHROPIC_API_KEY to model calls.
+    pub agent_api_key: Option<String>,
 }
 
 impl Default for Config {
@@ -69,6 +72,7 @@ impl Default for Config {
                     source: ContextSource::Store,
                 },
             ],
+            agent_api_key: None,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -122,6 +126,9 @@ impl Config {
                 if let Some(m) = cfg.get("journal_max").and_then(|v| v.as_u64()) {
                     config.journal_max = m as usize;
                 }
+                if let Some(s) = cfg.get("agent_api_key").and_then(|v| v.as_str()) {
+                    config.agent_api_key = Some(s.to_string());
+                }
                 continue;
             }
 
diff --git a/src/llm.rs b/src/llm.rs
index 00fca5f..519aafa 100644
--- a/src/llm.rs
+++ b/src/llm.rs
@@ -21,13 +21,18 @@ fn call_model(model: &str, prompt: &str) -> Result<String, String> {
     fs::write(&tmp, prompt)
         .map_err(|e| format!("write temp prompt: {}", e))?;
 
+    let mut cmd = Command::new("claude");
+    cmd.args(["-p", "--model", model, "--tools", "", "--no-session-persistence"])
+        .stdin(fs::File::open(&tmp).map_err(|e| format!("open temp: {}", e))?)
+        .env_remove("CLAUDECODE");
+
+    // Use separate API key for agent work if configured
+    if let Some(ref key) = crate::config::get().agent_api_key {
+        cmd.env("ANTHROPIC_API_KEY", key);
+    }
+
     let result = unsafe {
-        Command::new("claude")
-            .args(["-p", "--model", model, "--tools", "", "--no-session-persistence"])
-            .stdin(fs::File::open(&tmp).map_err(|e| format!("open temp: {}", e))?)
-            .env_remove("CLAUDECODE")
-            .pre_exec(|| {
-                // Kill this child if the parent dies
+        cmd.pre_exec(|| {
                 libc::prctl(libc::PR_SET_PDEATHSIG, libc::SIGTERM);
                 Ok(())
             })