diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 1f292cf0de..6609161e86 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -1784,7 +1784,7 @@ QUOTA_STORE_DRIVER=sqlite              # sqlite | redis
 # Per-request timeout when proxying to the Bifrost gateway. Default: 30000 (30s).
 # BIFROST_TIMEOUT_MS=
 # Alias for BIFROST_API_KEY (used by scripts that read the env via
-# OMNIROUTE_*). Falls back to BIFROST_API_KEY when unset.
+# OMNIROUTE_*). BIFROST_API_KEY takes precedence when both are set.
 # OMNIROUTE_BIFROST_KEY=
 # Relay backend selection for the OpenAI-compatible relay endpoint:
 # ts | bifrost | auto. "ts" (default when Bifrost is not configured) uses the
@@ -1850,6 +1850,8 @@ QUOTA_STORE_DRIVER=sqlite              # sqlite | redis
 # gateway as a separate sidecar (helps in 3+ replica deployments where you want
 # provider rotation centralised). See docs/architecture/cluster-decisions.md §
 # "Bifrost (bifrost profile)".
+# Set OMNIROUTE_RELAY_BACKEND=auto to use this sidecar when healthy, or
+# OMNIROUTE_RELAY_BACKEND=bifrost to require it without TS fallback.
 # BIFROST_BASE_URL=http://bifrost:8080
 # BIFROST_API_KEY=
 # BIFROST_STREAMING_ENABLED=true
diff --git a/docs/reference/ENVIRONMENT.md b/docs/reference/ENVIRONMENT.md
index 8c2f7043e9..ca165776e2 100644
--- a/docs/reference/ENVIRONMENT.md
+++ b/docs/reference/ENVIRONMENT.md
@@ -1004,7 +1004,7 @@ Provider quota endpoints, network tunnels (Tailscale, Ngrok, MITM debug proxy),
 | `BIFROST_API_KEY`                           | _(unset)_                                                                   | `src/app/api/v1/relay/chat/completions/bifrost/route.ts`                  | API key for the Bifrost gateway (sent as `Authorization: Bearer ...`). If unset, the route expects the request to carry a valid OmniRoute API key; this key is for gateway-side auth only.                                                                                                                                                                            |
 | `BIFROST_STREAMING_ENABLED`                 | `true`                                                                      | `src/app/api/v1/relay/chat/completions/bifrost/route.ts`                  | When true, the Bifrost sidecar route streams responses back via SSE through the gateway rather than the TS streaming executor. Set to `0` to force non-streaming JSON responses through the gateway.                                                                                                                                                                  |
 | `BIFROST_TIMEOUT_MS`                        | `30000`                                                                     | `src/app/api/v1/relay/chat/completions/bifrost/route.ts`                  | Per-request timeout when proxying to the Bifrost gateway (ms). On timeout the route returns the TS relay path via the `X-Bifrost-Fallback` header.                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
-| `OMNIROUTE_BIFROST_KEY`                     | _(unset)_                                                                   | `src/app/api/v1/relay/chat/completions/bifrost/route.ts`                  | Alias for `BIFROST_API_KEY` (used by scripts that read the env via `OMNIROUTE_*`). Falls back to `BIFROST_API_KEY` when unset.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
+| `OMNIROUTE_BIFROST_KEY`                     | _(unset)_                                                                   | `src/app/api/v1/relay/chat/completions/bifrost/route.ts`                  | Alias for `BIFROST_API_KEY` (used by scripts that read the env via `OMNIROUTE_*`). `BIFROST_API_KEY` takes precedence when both are set.                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
 | `OMNIROUTE_RELAY_BACKEND`                   | `ts` / `auto`                                                               | `src/app/api/v1/relay/chat/completions/routingBackend.ts`                | Relay backend for `/api/v1/relay/chat/completions`: `ts \| bifrost \| auto`. `ts` = TypeScript relay (default when Bifrost unconfigured); `auto` selects Bifrost when `BIFROST_BASE_URL` is set and `BIFROST_ENABLED` ≠ `0`, with automatic TS fallback if the sidecar is unreachable; `bifrost` forces Bifrost (strict, no fallback). Auth/rate-limit/injection-guard/allowlist always run in the Next route first. Responses carry `X-Routing-Backend` / `X-Routing-Fallback`.                                                                |
 | `RELAY_ROUTING_BACKEND`                     | _(unset)_                                                                   | `src/app/api/v1/relay/chat/completions/routingBackend.ts`                | Accepted alias for `OMNIROUTE_RELAY_BACKEND` (same `ts \| bifrost \| auto` values). `OMNIROUTE_RELAY_BACKEND` takes precedence when both are set.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
 | `OMNIROUTE_TLS_CERT`                        | _(unset)_                                                                   | `bin/cli/commands/serve.mjs`                                             | Path to a PEM TLS certificate to serve `omniroute serve` over HTTPS (equivalent to `--tls-cert`). Must be paired with `OMNIROUTE_TLS_KEY`; the standalone server then terminates TLS on the same listener (`wss://` works unchanged). Unset → plain HTTP. Providing only one of cert/key, or an unreadable path, logs a warning and stays HTTP.                          |