diff --git a/scripts/podx-tools.sh b/scripts/podx-tools.sh
index 32b0f25..82c6fdb 100644
--- a/scripts/podx-tools.sh
+++ b/scripts/podx-tools.sh
@@ -18,14 +18,42 @@ ppjson() {
   fi
 }
 
-# ---------- Load .env from repo root (respects var references) ----------
+# ---------- Load .env from repo root (robust, handles spaces & ${VAR}) ----------
 ROOT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/.." && pwd)"
 ENV_FILE="$ROOT_DIR/.env"
 if [ -f "$ENV_FILE" ]; then
-  set -a
-  # shellcheck source=/dev/null
-  source "$ENV_FILE"
-  set +a
+  # Minimal .env parser:
+  # - ignores comments/blank lines
+  # - preserves spaces in values (quotes optional)
+  # - expands ${VAR} references using current environment / previously set keys
+  while IFS= read -r __line || [ -n "$__line" ]; do
+    # trim leading/trailing whitespace
+    __line="${__line#"${__line%%[![:space:]]*}"}"
+    __line="${__line%"${__line##*[![:space:]]}"}"
+    # skip empty or comment
+    [ -z "$__line" ] && continue
+    [ "${__line:0:1}" = "#" ] && continue
+    # split at first '='
+    case "$__line" in
+      *=*)
+        __key="${__line%%=*}"
+        __val="${__line#*=}"
+        ;;
+      *)
+        continue
+        ;;
+    esac
+    # strip surrounding quotes if present
+    if [[ "$__val" == \"*\" && "$__val" == *\" ]]; then
+      __val="${__val:1:${#__val}-2}"
+    elif [[ "$__val" == \'*\' && "$__val" == *\' ]]; then
+      __val="${__val:1:${#__val}-2}"
+    fi
+    # expand ${VAR} references
+    eval "__val_expanded=\"${__val}\""
+    export "${__key}=${__val_expanded}"
+  done < "$ENV_FILE"
+  unset __line __key __val __val_expanded
 fi
 
 # ---------- Defaults (can be overridden by .env) ----------