diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 231a107..c0979e4 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-FROM python:3.8-slim
+FROM python:3.13-slim
 WORKDIR /app
 COPY ./src /app
 COPY requirements.txt /app/requirements.txt
diff --git a/src/app.py b/src/app.py
index 9ad6e8b..290e0b4 100644
--- a/src/app.py
+++ b/src/app.py
@@ -9,13 +9,34 @@ import utils.mLogger as log
 from controllers.file_controller import upload_file, download_file, delete_file
 from views import views
 
-# Load environment variables
-load_dotenv()
+# Get the project root directory (one level up from src)
+project_root = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
+env_path = os.path.join(project_root, '.env')
+
+# Load environment variables with explicit path
+load_dotenv(dotenv_path=env_path)
+
+# Debug log for environment loading
+log.i(f"Loading .env from: {env_path}")
+log.i(f"File exists: {os.path.exists(env_path)}")
 
 app = Flask(__name__)
 app.config['UPLOAD_FOLDER'] = 'tmp/uploads'
 app.config['CLIENT_KEY'] = os.getenv('CLIENT_KEY', 'default-secret-key')
 
+# Log the loaded client key (masked)
+if app.config['CLIENT_KEY']:
+    masked_key = app.config['CLIENT_KEY'][:4] + '*' * (len(app.config['CLIENT_KEY']) - 4)
+    log.i(f"Loaded client key: {masked_key}")
+else:
+    log.w("No client key configured, using default")
+
+# Log all environment variables (masked)
+for key, value in os.environ.items():
+    if 'KEY' in key or 'SECRET' in key.upper():
+        masked = value[:4] + '*' * (len(value) - 4) if value else None
+        log.i(f"Env: {key}={masked}")
+
 if not os.path.exists(app.config['UPLOAD_FOLDER']):
     os.makedirs(app.config['UPLOAD_FOLDER'])
 
@@ -23,9 +44,16 @@ def require_client_key(f):
     @wraps(f)
     def decorated_function(*args, **kwargs):
         client_key = request.headers.get('X-Client-Key')
-        if not client_key or client_key != app.config['CLIENT_KEY']:
-            log.e("Invalid or missing client key")
-            return jsonify({'error': 'Invalid or missing client key'}), 401
+        if not client_key:
+            log.e("No client key provided in request headers")
+            return jsonify({'error': 'Missing client key'}), 401
+            
+        expected_key = app.config['CLIENT_KEY']
+        if client_key != expected_key:
+            log.e(f"Invalid client key provided. Expected length: {len(expected_key)}, Got length: {len(client_key)}")
+            return jsonify({'error': 'Invalid client key'}), 401
+            
+        log.i("Client key authentication successful")
         return f(*args, **kwargs)
     return decorated_function