# X_SECRETS_KEY_MISSING

## Means

no master key for the encrypted secrets file

## Typical cause

`ULTIMATE_SECRETS_KEY` is unset and `.secrets.key` does not exist, while a sealed file does. Fatal at boot on purpose — an app that started without its secrets authenticates against nothing and still reports healthy

## Fix

`export ULTIMATE_SECRETS_KEY="$(cat .secrets.key)"`, or `x secrets init` in a repo that has no key yet

[Encrypted secrets](/error-codes#encrypted-secrets)