diff --git a/packages/api/src/mcp/registry/__tests__/resolvedInstructionsBackfill.test.ts b/packages/api/src/mcp/registry/__tests__/resolvedInstructionsBackfill.test.ts
index de6dbdc6bb..049a4cd799 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/mcp/registry/__tests__/resolvedInstructionsBackfill.test.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/mcp/registry/__tests__/resolvedInstructionsBackfill.test.ts
@@ -45,6 +45,15 @@ const runtimePlaceholderYamlEntry: t.ParsedServerConfig = {
   headers: { 'X-User-Id': '{{LIBRECHAT_USER_ID}}' },
 };
 
+const runtimeApiKeyPlaceholderYamlEntry: t.ParsedServerConfig = {
+  ...startupDeferredYamlEntry,
+  apiKey: {
+    source: 'admin',
+    authorization_type: 'bearer',
+    key: '{{LIBRECHAT_OPENID_ACCESS_TOKEN}}',
+  },
+};
+
 describe('MCPServersRegistry.setResolvedInstructions', () => {
   let registry: MCPServersRegistry;
 
@@ -139,6 +148,7 @@ describe('MCPServersRegistry.setResolvedInstructions', () => {
   it.each([
     ['OAuth', oauthDeferredYamlEntry],
     ['runtime placeholders', runtimePlaceholderYamlEntry],
+    ['runtime placeholders in an admin API key', runtimeApiKeyPlaceholderYamlEntry],
     [
       'configured-oauth-block',
       {
@@ -390,6 +400,7 @@ describe('UserConnectionManager.backfillResolvedInstructions', () => {
       },
     ],
     ['runtime placeholders', runtimePlaceholderYamlEntry],
+    ['runtime placeholders in an admin API key', runtimeApiKeyPlaceholderYamlEntry],
     [
       'a configured oauth block with requiresOAuth stamped false',
       {
diff --git a/packages/api/src/mcp/registry/cache/ServerConfigsCacheRedisAggregateKey.ts b/packages/api/src/mcp/registry/cache/ServerConfigsCacheRedisAggregateKey.ts
index 43174fa49b..8828dda37d 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/mcp/registry/cache/ServerConfigsCacheRedisAggregateKey.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/mcp/registry/cache/ServerConfigsCacheRedisAggregateKey.ts
@@ -13,21 +13,46 @@ import { BaseRegistryCache } from './BaseRegistryCache';
  * caused by SCAN under concurrent load in large deployments (see GitHub #11624, #12408).
  *
  * Trade-offs:
- * - `add/update/remove` use a serialized read-modify-write on the aggregate key via a
- *   promise-based mutex. This prevents concurrent writes from racing within a single
- *   process (e.g., during `Promise.allSettled` initialization of multiple servers).
+ * - In-memory writes use a serialized read-modify-write via a promise-based mutex.
+ *   Redis writes use single-key Lua mutations, so replicas cannot overwrite one another.
  * - The entire config map is serialized/deserialized on every operation. With typical MCP
  *   deployments (~5-50 servers), the JSON payload is small (10-50KB).
  * - Cross-instance visibility is preserved: all instances read/write the same Redis key,
  *   so reinspection results propagate automatically after readThroughCache TTL expiry.
  *
- * `patch` uses a Redis-side Lua compare-and-set when Redis backs this cache.
- * This keeps simultaneous replicas from losing another server's patch and makes
- * `resolvedInstructions` first-write-wins. Initialization writes remain leader
- * coordinated, and manual reinspection is intentionally rare.
+ * All mutations use Redis-side Lua when Redis backs this cache. This keeps
+ * simultaneous replicas from losing one another's changes and makes
+ * `resolvedInstructions` first-write-wins.
  */
 const AGGREGATE_KEY = '__all__';
 
+const MUTATE_AGGREGATE_ENTRY = `
+local operation = ARGV[1]
+local serverName = ARGV[2]
+local encoded = redis.call('GET', KEYS[1])
+local envelope
+if encoded then
+  envelope = cjson.decode(encoded)
+else
+  envelope = { value = {} }
+end
+if not envelope.value then envelope.value = {} end
+local existing = envelope.value[serverName]
+if operation == 'add' and existing then return -1 end
+if (operation == 'update' or operation == 'remove') and not existing then return 0 end
+local ttl = redis.call('PTTL', KEYS[1])
+if operation == 'remove' then
+  envelope.value[serverName] = nil
+else
+  local config = cjson.decode(ARGV[3])
+  config.updatedAt = tonumber(ARGV[4])
+  envelope.value[serverName] = config
+end
+redis.call('SET', KEYS[1], cjson.encode(envelope))
+if ttl > 0 then redis.call('PEXPIRE', KEYS[1], ttl) end
+return 1
+`;
+
 /** Keyv stores its serialized value in an envelope with a `value` member. This script
  * updates that envelope atomically and preserves a configured Redis expiration. */
 const PATCH_AGGREGATE_ENTRY = `
@@ -100,6 +125,24 @@ export class ServerConfigsCacheRedisAggregateKey
     return `${prefix}${this.cache.namespace}:${AGGREGATE_KEY}`;
   }
 
+  private async mutateRedisEntry(
+    operation: 'add' | 'update' | 'upsert' | 'remove',
+    serverName: string,
+    config?: ParsedServerConfig,
+    updatedAt?: number,
+  ): Promise<number> {
+    const result = await evalKeyvRedisScript(MUTATE_AGGREGATE_ENTRY, {
+      keys: [this.aggregateRedisKey()],
+      arguments: [
+        operation,
+        serverName,
+        config ? JSON.stringify(config) : '',
+        updatedAt != null ? String(updatedAt) : '',
+      ],
+    });
+    return typeof result === 'number' ? result : 0;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Serializes write operations to prevent concurrent read-modify-write races.
    * Reads (`get`, `getAll`) are not serialized — they can run concurrently.
@@ -149,6 +192,22 @@ export class ServerConfigsCacheRedisAggregateKey
   public async add(serverName: string, config: ParsedServerConfig): Promise<AddServerResult> {
     if (this.leaderOnly) await this.leaderCheck('add MCP servers');
     return this.withWriteLock(async () => {
+      const storedConfig = { ...config, updatedAt: Date.now() };
+      if (this.usesRedisStore()) {
+        const result = await this.mutateRedisEntry(
+          'add',
+          serverName,
+          storedConfig,
+          storedConfig.updatedAt,
+        );
+        if (result === -1) {
+          throw new Error(
+            `Server "${serverName}" already exists in cache. Use update() to modify existing configs.`,
+          );
+        }
+        this.successCheck(`add ${this.namespace} server "${serverName}"`, result === 1);
+        return { serverName, config: storedConfig };
+      }
       // Force fresh Redis read so the read-modify-write uses current data,
       // not a snapshot that may predate this write. Distinct from the finally-block
       // invalidation which cleans up after the write completes or throws.
@@ -159,7 +218,6 @@ export class ServerConfigsCacheRedisAggregateKey
           `Server "${serverName}" already exists in cache. Use update() to modify existing configs.`,
         );
       }
-      const storedConfig = { ...config, updatedAt: Date.now() };
       const newAll = { ...all, [serverName]: storedConfig };
       const success = await this.cache.set(AGGREGATE_KEY, newAll);
       this.successCheck(`add ${this.namespace} server "${serverName}"`, success);
@@ -170,6 +228,17 @@ export class ServerConfigsCacheRedisAggregateKey
   public async update(serverName: string, config: ParsedServerConfig): Promise<void> {
     if (this.leaderOnly) await this.leaderCheck('update MCP servers');
     return this.withWriteLock(async () => {
+      const updatedAt = Date.now();
+      if (this.usesRedisStore()) {
+        const result = await this.mutateRedisEntry('update', serverName, config, updatedAt);
+        if (result === 0) {
+          throw new Error(
+            `Server "${serverName}" does not exist in cache. Use add() to create new configs.`,
+          );
+        }
+        this.successCheck(`update ${this.namespace} server "${serverName}"`, result === 1);
+        return;
+      }
       this.invalidateLocalSnapshot(); // Force fresh Redis read (see add() comment)
       const all = await this.getAll();
       if (!all[serverName]) {
@@ -177,7 +246,7 @@ export class ServerConfigsCacheRedisAggregateKey
           `Server "${serverName}" does not exist in cache. Use add() to create new configs.`,
         );
       }
-      const newAll = { ...all, [serverName]: { ...config, updatedAt: Date.now() } };
+      const newAll = { ...all, [serverName]: { ...config, updatedAt } };
       const success = await this.cache.set(AGGREGATE_KEY, newAll);
       this.successCheck(`update ${this.namespace} server "${serverName}"`, success);
     });
@@ -186,9 +255,15 @@ export class ServerConfigsCacheRedisAggregateKey
   public async upsert(serverName: string, config: ParsedServerConfig): Promise<void> {
     if (this.leaderOnly) await this.leaderCheck('upsert MCP servers');
     return this.withWriteLock(async () => {
+      const updatedAt = Date.now();
+      if (this.usesRedisStore()) {
+        const result = await this.mutateRedisEntry('upsert', serverName, config, updatedAt);
+        this.successCheck(`upsert ${this.namespace} server "${serverName}"`, result === 1);
+        return;
+      }
       this.invalidateLocalSnapshot();
       const all = await this.getAll();
-      const newAll = { ...all, [serverName]: { ...config, updatedAt: Date.now() } };
+      const newAll = { ...all, [serverName]: { ...config, updatedAt } };
       const success = await this.cache.set(AGGREGATE_KEY, newAll);
       this.successCheck(`upsert ${this.namespace} server "${serverName}"`, success);
     });
@@ -236,6 +311,14 @@ export class ServerConfigsCacheRedisAggregateKey
   public async remove(serverName: string): Promise<void> {
     if (this.leaderOnly) await this.leaderCheck('remove MCP servers');
     return this.withWriteLock(async () => {
+      if (this.usesRedisStore()) {
+        const result = await this.mutateRedisEntry('remove', serverName);
+        if (result === 0) {
+          throw new Error(`Failed to remove server "${serverName}" in cache.`);
+        }
+        this.successCheck(`remove ${this.namespace} server "${serverName}"`, result === 1);
+        return;
+      }
       this.invalidateLocalSnapshot(); // Force fresh Redis read (see add() comment)
       const all = await this.getAll();
       if (!all[serverName]) {
diff --git a/packages/api/src/mcp/registry/cache/__tests__/ServerConfigsCacheRedisAggregateKey.cache_integration.spec.ts b/packages/api/src/mcp/registry/cache/__tests__/ServerConfigsCacheRedisAggregateKey.cache_integration.spec.ts
index e0eb5bd3e5..edeb617686 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/mcp/registry/cache/__tests__/ServerConfigsCacheRedisAggregateKey.cache_integration.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/mcp/registry/cache/__tests__/ServerConfigsCacheRedisAggregateKey.cache_integration.spec.ts
@@ -247,6 +247,42 @@ describe('ServerConfigsCacheRedisAggregateKey Integration Tests', () => {
       expect(result.server1.resolvedInstructions).toBe('server one instructions');
       expect(result.server2.resolvedInstructions).toBe('server two instructions');
     });
+
+    it('routes every aggregate mutation through Redis-side atomic updates', async () => {
+      const replica = new ServerConfigsCacheRedisAggregateKey('agg-test', false);
+      const cacheSetSpy = jest.spyOn(replica['cache'], 'set');
+
+      await replica.add('atomic-server', mockConfig1);
+      await replica.update('atomic-server', mockConfig2);
+      await replica.upsert('atomic-server', mockConfig3);
+      await replica.remove('atomic-server');
+
+      expect(cacheSetSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      cacheSetSpy.mockRestore();
+    });
+
+    it('preserves patches concurrent with whole-entry mutations on other replicas', async () => {
+      const patchReplica = new ServerConfigsCacheRedisAggregateKey('agg-test', false);
+      const writerReplica = new ServerConfigsCacheRedisAggregateKey('agg-test', false);
+
+      for (let i = 0; i < 20; i++) {
+        const patchedName = `patched-${i}`;
+        const updatedName = `updated-${i}`;
+        await cache.add(patchedName, mockConfig1);
+        await cache.add(updatedName, mockConfig2);
+
+        await expect(
+          Promise.all([
+            patchReplica.patch(patchedName, { resolvedInstructions: `instructions-${i}` }),
+            writerReplica.update(updatedName, { ...mockConfig3, description: `updated-${i}` }),
+          ]),
+        ).resolves.toEqual([true, undefined]);
+
+        const result = await cache.getAll();
+        expect(result[patchedName].resolvedInstructions).toBe(`instructions-${i}`);
+        expect(result[updatedName].description).toBe(`updated-${i}`);
+      }
+    });
   });
 
   describe('reset operation', () => {
diff --git a/packages/api/src/mcp/utils.ts b/packages/api/src/mcp/utils.ts
index b5bca754a5..41457e41e9 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/mcp/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/mcp/utils.ts
@@ -211,9 +211,9 @@ type UserScopedConnectionConfig = Pick<
   ParsedServerConfig,
   'requiresOAuth' | 'source' | 'dbId' | 'startup'
 > & {
-  /** Loosened like the fields below: raw (pre-inspection) configs carry an
-   *  optional `source`, and the gating predicates only read `apiKey?.source`. */
-  apiKey?: { source?: 'user' | 'admin' } | null;
+  /** Loosened like the fields below: raw (pre-inspection) configs carry
+   *  optional API-key fields, and the gating predicates only inspect them. */
+  apiKey?: { key?: string; source?: 'user' | 'admin' } | null;
   args?: string[];
   /** Loosened from the parsed shapes so raw (pre-inspection) configs qualify;
    *  scoping predicates only check key presence */
@@ -230,7 +230,15 @@ type UserScopedConnectionConfig = Pick<
 };
 
 function placeholderBearingFields(config: UserScopedConnectionConfig): PlaceholderValue[] {
-  return [config.args, config.env, config.headers, config.oauth, config.oauth_headers, config.url];
+  return [
+    config.apiKey?.key,
+    config.args,
+    config.env,
+    config.headers,
+    config.oauth,
+    config.oauth_headers,
+    config.url,
+  ];
 }
 
 /** Whether a server should use MCP OAuth handling. */