diff --git a/echo/agent/settings.py b/echo/agent/settings.py
index abd0da1d..de73b415 100644
--- a/echo/agent/settings.py
+++ b/echo/agent/settings.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import base64
 import json
 from functools import lru_cache
 from typing import Any, Optional
@@ -37,13 +38,24 @@ class Settings(BaseSettings):
     @field_validator("vertex_credentials", "gcp_sa_json", mode="before")
     @classmethod
     def _parse_service_account_json(cls, value: Any) -> Optional[dict[str, Any]]:
+        # Accept a dict, a raw JSON string, or a base64-encoded JSON string.
+        # The prod/echo-next secret stores GCP_SA_JSON base64-encoded, matching
+        # the server's _coerce_service_account behavior.
         if value is None or isinstance(value, dict):
             return value
         if isinstance(value, str):
             stripped = value.strip()
-            if not stripped:
+            if stripped in {"", "null", "None"}:
                 return None
-            return json.loads(stripped)
+            try:
+                return json.loads(stripped)
+            except json.JSONDecodeError:
+                try:
+                    return json.loads(base64.b64decode(stripped))
+                except Exception as exc:
+                    raise ValueError(
+                        "Service account JSON must be valid JSON or base64-encoded JSON"
+                    ) from exc
         raise ValueError("Expected a JSON object or JSON string")
 
     class Config:
diff --git a/echo/agent/tests/test_settings.py b/echo/agent/tests/test_settings.py
index 2c042444..3de74692 100644
--- a/echo/agent/tests/test_settings.py
+++ b/echo/agent/tests/test_settings.py
@@ -21,3 +21,18 @@ def test_settings_reads_env(monkeypatch):
     assert settings.agent_cors_origins == "http://localhost:1111,http://localhost:2222"
 
     get_settings.cache_clear()
+
+
+def test_settings_decodes_base64_gcp_sa_json(monkeypatch):
+    import base64
+    import json as _json
+
+    get_settings.cache_clear()
+    raw = {"type": "service_account", "project_id": "b64-proj"}
+    b64 = base64.b64encode(_json.dumps(raw).encode()).decode()
+    monkeypatch.setenv("GCP_SA_JSON", b64)
+    monkeypatch.setenv("VERTEX_LOCATION", "eu")
+
+    settings = get_settings()
+    assert settings.gcp_sa_json == raw
+    get_settings.cache_clear()