diff --git a/api/.env.example b/api/.env.example
index 012efa2583..9a594d4f57 100644
--- a/api/.env.example
+++ b/api/.env.example
@@ -27,7 +27,9 @@ BING_TOKEN=
 # SEARCH=TRUE
 SEARCH=
 MEILI_HOST='http://localhost:7700'
-MEILI_KEY='MASTER_KEY'
+MEILI_HTTP_ADDR='http://localhost:7700'
+# needs a secure key, feel free to generate your own.
+MEILI_MASTER_KEY=WjRvKvpelIYHa4dlcDGsdT9c0CKRbY-4VcuCQ1iZPcc
 
 # User System
 # global enable/disable the sample user system.
diff --git a/api/lib/db/indexSync.js b/api/lib/db/indexSync.js
index 600b4fa6f0..257f645d23 100644
--- a/api/lib/db/indexSync.js
+++ b/api/lib/db/indexSync.js
@@ -6,13 +6,13 @@ const { MeiliSearch } = require('meilisearch');
 // eslint-disable-next-line no-unused-vars
 async function indexSync(req, res, next) {
   try {
-    if (!process.env.MEILI_HOST || !process.env.MEILI_KEY || !process.env.SEARCH) {
+    if (!process.env.MEILI_HOST || !process.env.MEILI_MASTER_KEY || !process.env.SEARCH) {
       throw new Error('Meilisearch not configured, search will be disabled.');
     }
 
     const client = new MeiliSearch({
       host: process.env.MEILI_HOST,
-      apiKey: process.env.MEILI_KEY
+      apiKey: process.env.MEILI_MASTER_KEY
     });
 
     const { status } = await client.health();
diff --git a/api/models/schema/convoSchema.js b/api/models/schema/convoSchema.js
index f9d8127b01..a654b1425a 100644
--- a/api/models/schema/convoSchema.js
+++ b/api/models/schema/convoSchema.js
@@ -53,10 +53,10 @@ const convoSchema = mongoose.Schema(
   { timestamps: true }
 );
 
-if (process.env.MEILI_HOST && process.env.MEILI_KEY) {
+if (process.env.MEILI_HOST && process.env.MEILI_MASTER_KEY) {
   convoSchema.plugin(mongoMeili, {
     host: process.env.MEILI_HOST,
-    apiKey: process.env.MEILI_KEY,
+    apiKey: process.env.MEILI_MASTER_KEY,
     indexName: 'convos', // Will get created automatically if it doesn't exist already
     primaryKey: 'conversationId'
   });
diff --git a/api/models/schema/messageSchema.js b/api/models/schema/messageSchema.js
index 01aa4feb2d..9d21dd5b92 100644
--- a/api/models/schema/messageSchema.js
+++ b/api/models/schema/messageSchema.js
@@ -57,10 +57,10 @@ const messageSchema = mongoose.Schema(
   { timestamps: true }
 );
 
-if (process.env.MEILI_HOST && process.env.MEILI_KEY) {
+if (process.env.MEILI_HOST && process.env.MEILI_MASTER_KEY) {
   messageSchema.plugin(mongoMeili, {
     host: process.env.MEILI_HOST,
-    apiKey: process.env.MEILI_KEY,
+    apiKey: process.env.MEILI_MASTER_KEY,
     indexName: 'messages',
     primaryKey: 'messageId'
   });
diff --git a/api/server/routes/search.js b/api/server/routes/search.js
index ec05b52a27..3d2d8a0ce6 100644
--- a/api/server/routes/search.js
+++ b/api/server/routes/search.js
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ const { MeiliSearch } = require('meilisearch');
 const { Message } = require('../../models/Message');
 const { Conversation, getConvosQueried } = require('../../models/Conversation');
 const { reduceHits } = require('../../lib/utils/reduceHits');
-// const { MeiliSearch } = require('meilisearch');
 const cache = new Map();
 
 router.get('/sync', async function (req, res) {
@@ -56,7 +55,8 @@ router.get('/', async function (req, res) {
     cache.set(q, result.cache);
     delete result.cache;
     result.messages = messages.filter(message => !result.filter.has(message.conversationId));
-    console.log(result, messages.length);
+    // for debugging
+    // console.log(result, messages.length);
     res.status(200).send(result);
   } catch (error) {
     console.log(error);
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ router.get('/enable', async function (req, res) {
   try {
     const client = new MeiliSearch({
       host: process.env.MEILI_HOST,
-      apiKey: process.env.MEILI_KEY
+      apiKey: process.env.MEILI_MASTER_KEY
     });
 
     const { status } = await client.health();
diff --git a/meilisearch.yml b/meilisearch.yml
index 2379ce4429..f2ce5fe169 100644
--- a/meilisearch.yml
+++ b/meilisearch.yml
@@ -4,7 +4,10 @@ services:
     image: getmeili/meilisearch:v1.0
     ports:
       - 7700:7700
-    environment:
-      - MEILI_MASTER_KEY=MASTER_KEY
+    env_file:
+      - ./api/.env
+    # environment:
+    # # needs a secure key, feel free to generate your own
+    #   - MEILI_MASTER_KEY=WjRvKvpelIYHa4dlcDGsdT9c0CKRbY-4VcuCQ1iZPcc
     volumes:
       - ./meili_data:/meili_data
\ No newline at end of file