diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 4ae17c1..ddac441 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@ services:
     ports:
       - "8080:8080"
     environment:
-      - SMTP_PASSWORD=mssp.92QdSYS.3z0vklo982xl7qrx.tSlSpXs
-      - DB_PASSWORD=7Qay8mksnwrCffGi
-      - RABBITMQ_URL=amqps://gfzknmdk:BXoIOszWGpokmyP3FeQ64LqIldw8kf2v@gerbil.rmq.cloudamqp.com:5671/gfzknmdk
+      SMTP_PASSWORD: "mssp.92QdSYS.3z0vklo982xl7qrx.tSlSpXs"
+      DB_PASSWORD: "7Qay8mksnwrCffGi"
+      RABBITMQ_URL: "amqps://gfzknmdk:BXoIOszWGpokmyP3FeQ64LqIldw8kf2v@gerbil.rmq.cloudamqp.com:5671/gfzknmdk"
     restart: unless-stopped
     networks:
       - 1panel-network
diff --git a/internal/config/config.go b/internal/config/config.go
index 6ddee25..6589146 100644
--- a/internal/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/config/config.go
@@ -66,10 +66,17 @@ func (o StrategyOverride) QuantityMultiplierFor(action string) float64 {
 	return v
 }
 
+func IsAMQPURL(u string) bool {
+	u = strings.TrimSpace(u)
+	return strings.HasPrefix(u, "amqp://") || strings.HasPrefix(u, "amqps://")
+}
+
 func (c *Config) NormalizeSubscriptions() error {
 	for i := range c.Subscriptions {
 		s := &c.Subscriptions[i]
-		if s.URL == "" {
+		s.URL = strings.TrimSpace(expandEnv(s.URL))
+		if !IsAMQPURL(s.URL) {
+			s.URL = ""
 			continue
 		}
 		if s.Queue == "" {
@@ -100,7 +107,7 @@ func (c *Config) NormalizeSubscriptions() error {
 func (c *Config) ActiveSubscriptions() []SubscriptionConfig {
 	out := make([]SubscriptionConfig, 0, len(c.Subscriptions))
 	for _, s := range c.Subscriptions {
-		if s.URL != "" {
+		if IsAMQPURL(s.URL) {
 			out = append(out, s)
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/internal/config/config_test.go b/internal/config/config_test.go
index 4961056..75bd0f0 100644
--- a/internal/config/config_test.go
+++ b/internal/config/config_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 package config
 
-import "testing"
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+)
 
 func TestNormalizeSubscriptionDefaults(t *testing.T) {
 	cfg := &Config{Subscriptions: []SubscriptionConfig{{
@@ -47,6 +51,47 @@ func TestNormalizeUnknownFormatter(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestLoadExpandsRabbitMQURL(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	path := filepath.Join(dir, "config.yaml")
+	yaml := []byte(`
+server:
+  port: 8080
+  admin_key: test
+subscriptions:
+  - name: trade-signal
+    url: "${RABBITMQ_URL}"
+    queue: q
+    source: trade-signal
+`)
+	if err := os.WriteFile(path, yaml, 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	t.Setenv("RABBITMQ_URL", "amqps://user:pass@example.invalid:5671/vhost")
+	cfg, err := Load(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if len(cfg.Subscriptions) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("subs=%d", len(cfg.Subscriptions))
+	}
+	if cfg.Subscriptions[0].URL != "amqps://user:pass@example.invalid:5671/vhost" {
+		t.Fatalf("url=%q", cfg.Subscriptions[0].URL)
+	}
+	if n := len(cfg.ActiveSubscriptions()); n != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("active=%d", n)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestActiveSubscriptionsSkipsPlaceholderURL(t *testing.T) {
+	cfg := &Config{Subscriptions: []SubscriptionConfig{{
+		URL: "${RABBITMQ_URL}", Queue: "q", Source: "s", Name: "trade-signal",
+	}}}
+	if n := len(cfg.ActiveSubscriptions()); n != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("placeholder should not be active, n=%d", n)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestQuantityMultiplierFor(t *testing.T) {
 	o := StrategyOverride{QuantityMultipliers: QuantityMultipliers{Open: 100, Add: 0}}
 	if o.QuantityMultiplierFor("OPEN") != 100 {