diff --git a/app/Services/Secrets/SecretVault.php b/app/Services/Secrets/SecretVault.php
index 9969aff..1788b52 100644
--- a/app/Services/Secrets/SecretVault.php
+++ b/app/Services/Secrets/SecretVault.php
@@ -169,6 +169,7 @@ final class SecretVault
 
         return match (true) {
             $this->row($key, $mode) !== null => 'stored',
+            $this->isStrict($key) => 'none',
             filled(config(self::REGISTRY[$key]['config'])) => 'environment',
             default => 'none',
         };
diff --git a/tests/Feature/Admin/SecretVaultTest.php b/tests/Feature/Admin/SecretVaultTest.php
index c93ef25..90e0bbf 100644
--- a/tests/Feature/Admin/SecretVaultTest.php
+++ b/tests/Feature/Admin/SecretVaultTest.php
@@ -29,17 +29,37 @@ beforeEach(function () {
 it('prefers a stored key over the environment, and says which is in force', function () {
     $vault = app(SecretVault::class);
 
-    expect($vault->get('stripe.secret'))->toBe('sk_env_fallback')
-        ->and($vault->source('stripe.secret'))->toBe('environment');
+    // This test uses dns.token (not stripe.secret) to preserve the original
+    // assertion: a non-strict entry falls back to the environment and reports
+    // it as its source. Stripe is exempt from fallback (it is strict),
+    // tested separately in StripeStrictModeTest.
+    config()->set('provisioning.dns.token', 'env_token_fallback');
 
-    $vault->put('stripe.secret', 'sk_live_stored_value', Operator::factory()->create());
+    expect($vault->get('dns.token'))->toBe('env_token_fallback')
+        ->and($vault->source('dns.token'))->toBe('environment');
 
-    expect($vault->get('stripe.secret'))->toBe('sk_live_stored_value')
-        ->and($vault->source('stripe.secret'))->toBe('stored');
+    $vault->put('dns.token', 'stored_value', Operator::factory()->create());
+
+    expect($vault->get('dns.token'))->toBe('stored_value')
+        ->and($vault->source('dns.token'))->toBe('stored');
 
     // Removing it falls back rather than leaving nothing.
-    $vault->forget('stripe.secret');
-    expect($vault->get('stripe.secret'))->toBe('sk_env_fallback');
+    $vault->forget('dns.token');
+    expect($vault->get('dns.token'))->toBe('env_token_fallback');
+});
+
+it('strips the environment from stripe when nothing is stored', function () {
+    // Stripe is a strict entry: it never falls back to the environment, and
+    // source() never reports it as in force when it is not stored. This
+    // prevents the silent contradiction: get() returns null while source()
+    // claims 'environment', and the console would tell the operator a key is
+    // in force while the billing system refuses to use it.
+    $vault = app(SecretVault::class);
+
+    config()->set('services.stripe.secret', 'sk_env_from_config');
+
+    expect($vault->get('stripe.secret'))->toBeNull()
+        ->and($vault->source('stripe.secret'))->toBe('none');
 });
 
 it('stores the value encrypted, and never in the clear', function () {
diff --git a/tests/Feature/StripeStrictModeTest.php b/tests/Feature/StripeStrictModeTest.php
index 157b8ad..3f1d0c3 100644
--- a/tests/Feature/StripeStrictModeTest.php
+++ b/tests/Feature/StripeStrictModeTest.php
@@ -54,3 +54,16 @@ it('lets every other entry keep falling back', function () {
 
     expect($this->vault->get('dns.token'))->toBe('live-token');
 });
+
+it('does not report the environment as the source of a strict key', function () {
+    // source() muss dieselbe Regel anwenden wie get(): ist der Eintrag strikt
+    // und der Platz des aktiven Modus leer, ist die Quelle 'none', nicht
+    // 'environment'. Sonst meldet die Konsole dem Betreiber einen Stripe-
+    // Schlüssel als „in Kraft" (source sagt 'environment'), während die
+    // Kasse ihn nicht benutzt (get gibt null zurück). Dieser stille Widerspruch
+    // ist genau die Art, gegen die dieses Vorhaben gebaut ist.
+    config()->set('services.stripe.secret', 'sk_live_from_env');
+    OperatingMode::set(OperatingMode::Test);
+
+    expect($this->vault->source('stripe.secret'))->toBe('none');
+});