diff --git a/doc/DATABASE.md b/doc/DATABASE.md
index db53ef3e..2406c318 100644
--- a/doc/DATABASE.md
+++ b/doc/DATABASE.md
@@ -120,3 +120,39 @@ The database mode is controlled by `DATABASE_URL`:
 | `postgres://...supabase.com...` | Hosted Supabase |
 
 Your Drizzle schema (`packages/db/src/schema/`) stays the same regardless of mode.
+
+## Secret storage
+
+Paperclip stores secret metadata and versions in:
+
+- `company_secrets`
+- `company_secret_versions`
+
+For local/default installs, the active provider is `local_encrypted`:
+
+- Secret material is encrypted at rest with a local master key.
+- Default key file: `./data/secrets/master.key` (auto-created if missing).
+- CLI config location: `.paperclip/config.json` under `secrets.localEncrypted.keyFilePath`.
+
+Optional overrides:
+
+- `PAPERCLIP_SECRETS_MASTER_KEY` (32-byte key as base64, hex, or raw 32-char string)
+- `PAPERCLIP_SECRETS_MASTER_KEY_FILE` (custom key file path)
+
+Strict mode to block new inline sensitive env values:
+
+```sh
+PAPERCLIP_SECRETS_STRICT_MODE=true
+```
+
+You can set strict mode and provider defaults via:
+
+```sh
+pnpm paperclip configure --section secrets
+```
+
+Inline secret migration command:
+
+```sh
+pnpm secrets:migrate-inline-env --apply
+```
diff --git a/doc/DEVELOPING.md b/doc/DEVELOPING.md
index b1de3ad2..93f1cedd 100644
--- a/doc/DEVELOPING.md
+++ b/doc/DEVELOPING.md
@@ -56,3 +56,32 @@ pnpm dev
 ## Optional: Use External Postgres
 
 If you set `DATABASE_URL`, the server will use that instead of embedded PostgreSQL.
+
+## Secrets in Dev
+
+Agent env vars now support secret references. By default, secret values are stored with local encryption and only secret refs are persisted in agent config.
+
+- Default local key path: `./data/secrets/master.key`
+- Override key material directly: `PAPERCLIP_SECRETS_MASTER_KEY`
+- Override key file path: `PAPERCLIP_SECRETS_MASTER_KEY_FILE`
+
+Strict mode (recommended outside local trusted machines):
+
+```sh
+PAPERCLIP_SECRETS_STRICT_MODE=true
+```
+
+When strict mode is enabled, sensitive env keys (for example `*_API_KEY`, `*_TOKEN`, `*_SECRET`) must use secret references instead of inline plain values.
+
+CLI configuration support:
+
+- `pnpm paperclip onboard` writes a default `secrets` config section (`local_encrypted`, strict mode off, key file path set) and creates a local key file when needed.
+- `pnpm paperclip configure --section secrets` lets you update provider/strict mode/key path and creates the local key file when needed.
+- `pnpm paperclip doctor` validates secrets adapter configuration and can create a missing local key file with `--repair`.
+
+Migration helper for existing inline env secrets:
+
+```sh
+pnpm secrets:migrate-inline-env         # dry run
+pnpm secrets:migrate-inline-env --apply # apply migration
+```
diff --git a/doc/SPEC-implementation.md b/doc/SPEC-implementation.md
index a6ebe02a..7501e0be 100644
--- a/doc/SPEC-implementation.md
+++ b/doc/SPEC-implementation.md
@@ -275,7 +275,21 @@ Invariant: each event must attach to agent and company; rollups are aggregation,
 - `details` jsonb null
 - `created_at` timestamptz not null default now()
 
-## 7.12 Required Indexes
+## 7.12 `company_secrets` + `company_secret_versions`
+
+- Secret values are not stored inline in `agents.adapter_config.env`.
+- Agent env entries should use secret refs for sensitive values.
+- `company_secrets` tracks identity/provider metadata per company.
+- `company_secret_versions` stores encrypted/reference material per version.
+- Default provider in local deployments: `local_encrypted`.
+
+Operational policy:
+
+- Config read APIs redact sensitive plain values.
+- Activity and approval payloads must not persist raw sensitive values.
+- Config revisions may include redacted placeholders; such revisions are non-restorable for redacted fields.
+
+## 7.13 Required Indexes
 
 - `agents(company_id, status)`
 - `agents(company_id, reports_to)`
@@ -288,6 +302,8 @@ Invariant: each event must attach to agent and company; rollups are aggregation,
 - `heartbeat_runs(company_id, agent_id, started_at desc)`
 - `approvals(company_id, status, type)`
 - `activity_log(company_id, created_at desc)`
+- `company_secrets(company_id, name)` unique
+- `company_secret_versions(secret_id, version)` unique
 
 ## 8. State Machines
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 1c85c9d2..333870a8 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
     "test:run": "vitest run",
     "db:generate": "pnpm --filter @paperclip/db generate",
     "db:migrate": "pnpm --filter @paperclip/db migrate",
+    "secrets:migrate-inline-env": "tsx scripts/migrate-inline-env-secrets.ts",
     "db:backup": "./scripts/backup-db.sh",
     "paperclip": "node cli/node_modules/tsx/dist/cli.mjs cli/src/index.ts"
   },
diff --git a/scripts/migrate-inline-env-secrets.ts b/scripts/migrate-inline-env-secrets.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..add77560
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/migrate-inline-env-secrets.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,125 @@
+import { eq } from "drizzle-orm";
+import { agents, createDb } from "@paperclip/db";
+import { secretService } from "../server/src/services/secrets.js";
+
+const SENSITIVE_ENV_KEY_RE =
+  /(api[-_]?key|access[-_]?token|auth(?:_?token)?|authorization|bearer|secret|passwd|password|credential|jwt|private[-_]?key|cookie|connectionstring)/i;
+
+type EnvBinding =
+  | string
+  | { type: "plain"; value: string }
+  | { type: "secret_ref"; secretId: string; version?: number | "latest" };
+
+function asRecord(value: unknown): Record<string, unknown> | null {
+  if (typeof value !== "object" || value === null || Array.isArray(value)) return null;
+  return value as Record<string, unknown>;
+}
+
+function toPlainValue(binding: unknown): string | null {
+  if (typeof binding === "string") return binding;
+  if (typeof binding !== "object" || binding === null || Array.isArray(binding)) return null;
+  const rec = binding as Record<string, unknown>;
+  if (rec.type === "plain" && typeof rec.value === "string") return rec.value;
+  return null;
+}
+
+function secretName(agentId: string, key: string) {
+  return `agent_${agentId.slice(0, 8)}_${key.toLowerCase()}`;
+}
+
+async function main() {
+  const dbUrl = process.env.DATABASE_URL;
+  if (!dbUrl) {
+    console.error("DATABASE_URL is required");
+    process.exit(1);
+  }
+
+  const apply = process.argv.includes("--apply");
+  const db = createDb(dbUrl);
+  const secrets = secretService(db);
+
+  const allAgents = await db.select().from(agents);
+  let changedAgents = 0;
+  let createdSecrets = 0;
+  let rotatedSecrets = 0;
+
+  for (const agent of allAgents) {
+    const adapterConfig = asRecord(agent.adapterConfig);
+    if (!adapterConfig) continue;
+    const env = asRecord(adapterConfig.env);
+    if (!env) continue;
+
+    let changed = false;
+    const nextEnv: Record<string, EnvBinding> = { ...(env as Record<string, EnvBinding>) };
+
+    for (const [key, rawBinding] of Object.entries(env)) {
+      if (!SENSITIVE_ENV_KEY_RE.test(key)) continue;
+      const plain = toPlainValue(rawBinding);
+      if (plain === null) continue;
+      if (plain.trim().length === 0) continue;
+
+      const name = secretName(agent.id, key);
+      if (apply) {
+        const existing = await secrets.getByName(agent.companyId, name);
+        if (existing) {
+          await secrets.rotate(
+            existing.id,
+            { value: plain },
+            { userId: "migration", agentId: null },
+          );
+          rotatedSecrets += 1;
+          nextEnv[key] = { type: "secret_ref", secretId: existing.id, version: "latest" };
+        } else {
+          const created = await secrets.create(
+            agent.companyId,
+            {
+              name,
+              provider: "local_encrypted",
+              value: plain,
+              description: `Migrated from agent ${agent.id} env ${key}`,
+            },
+            { userId: "migration", agentId: null },
+          );
+          createdSecrets += 1;
+          nextEnv[key] = { type: "secret_ref", secretId: created.id, version: "latest" };
+        }
+      } else {
+        nextEnv[key] = {
+          type: "secret_ref",
+          secretId: `<would-create:${name}>`,
+          version: "latest",
+        };
+      }
+      changed = true;
+    }
+
+    if (!changed) continue;
+    changedAgents += 1;
+
+    if (apply) {
+      await db
+        .update(agents)
+        .set({
+          adapterConfig: {
+            ...adapterConfig,
+            env: nextEnv,
+          },
+          updatedAt: new Date(),
+        })
+        .where(eq(agents.id, agent.id));
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (!apply) {
+    console.log(`Dry run: ${changedAgents} agents would be updated`);
+    console.log("Re-run with --apply to persist changes");
+    process.exit(0);
+  }
+
+  console.log(
+    `Updated ${changedAgents} agents, created ${createdSecrets} secrets, rotated ${rotatedSecrets} secrets`,
+  );
+  process.exit(0);
+}
+
+void main();