.

config.py

@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ def _build_amqp_url(local: dict):
 @lru_cache
 def get_settings() -> Settings:
     cfg = _load_json(APPSETTINGS_PATH)
-    cfg = _replace_env_vars(cfg)
+    cfg = _replace_env_vars(cfg)  # <- replaces .env everywhere first
 
     # Flatten relevant LocalSystemUrl fields
     local = cfg.get("LocalSystemUrl", {})
@@ -62,17 +62,17 @@ def get_settings() -> Settings:
         cfg["RABBIT_HOST_NAME"] = local.get("RabbitHostName")
         cfg["RABBIT_PORT"] = local.get("RabbitPort")
         cfg["RABBIT_USER_NAME"] = local.get("RabbitUserName")
-        cfg["RABBIT_PASSWORD"] = local.get("RabbitPassword") or os.environ.get("RABBIT_PASSWORD")
+        cfg["RABBIT_PASSWORD"] = local.get("RabbitPassword")  # already resolved
         cfg["RABBIT_VHOST"] = local.get("RabbitVHost")
         cfg["RABBIT_USE_TLS"] = local.get("UseTls")
 
-    # Map JSON keys to what Python code expects
+    # Map JSON keys to Python attributes
     cfg["SERVICE_ID"] = cfg.get("ServiceID")
     cfg["RABBIT_ROUTING_KEY"] = cfg.get("RabbitRoutingKey")
     cfg["RABBIT_EXCHANGE_TYPE"] = cfg.get("RabbitExhangeType") or "topic"
     cfg["REDIS_URL"] = cfg.get("RedisUrl")
     cfg["REDIS_SECRET"] = cfg.get("RedisSecret")
-    cfg["EXCHANGE_TYPES"] = cfg.get("EXCHANGE_TYPES", {})  # default empty dict
+    cfg["EXCHANGE_TYPES"] = cfg.get("EXCHANGE_TYPES", {})
     cfg["RABBIT_PREFETCH"] = cfg.get("RABBIT_PREFETCH", 1)
 
     # Build AMQP_URL if not already provided