diff --git a/internal/config/keyring.go b/internal/config/keyring.go
index 4bcbb01..4194cde 100644
--- a/internal/config/keyring.go
+++ b/internal/config/keyring.go
@@ -68,17 +68,16 @@ func (c Credential) RequestOptions() []option.RequestOption {
 	return opts
 }
 
-// ResolveEnvVar checks the environment and .env files for a variable.
+// ResolveEnvVar checks the environment and known .env files for a variable.
 // Returns the value and true if found, or empty string and false.
 func ResolveEnvVar(name string) (string, bool) {
 	if v := os.Getenv(name); v != "" {
 		return v, true
 	}
-	if v := loadKeyFromEnvFile(loadExeEnvFilePath(), name); v != "" {
-		return v, true
-	}
-	if v := loadKeyFromEnvFile(".env", name); v != "" {
-		return v, true
+	for _, path := range envFileSearchPaths() {
+		if v := loadKeyFromEnvFile(path, name); v != "" {
+			return v, true
+		}
 	}
 	return "", false
 }
@@ -113,14 +112,9 @@ func resolveKey(envVar, keyringUser string) (string, KeySource) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// 3. .env next to executable
+	// 3. Known .env files (executable-adjacent, ~/.vix/.env, then CWD).
 	if envVar != "" {
-		if key := loadKeyFromEnvFile(loadExeEnvFilePath(), envVar); key != "" {
-			return key, KeySourceEnvFile
-		}
-
-		// 4. .env in CWD
-		if key := loadKeyFromEnvFile(".env", envVar); key != "" {
+		if key, ok := ResolveEnvVar(envVar); ok {
 			return key, KeySourceEnvFile
 		}
 	}
@@ -233,7 +227,7 @@ func reorderAuthMethods(methods []AuthMethod, pref string) []AuthMethod {
 // or env-provided base URL overrides the method's static BaseURL.
 func buildCredential(value string, src KeySource, m AuthMethod) Credential {
 	baseURL := m.BaseURL
-	if m.RequiresBaseURL {
+	if m.RequiresBaseURL || m.BaseURLEnv != "" {
 		if u := resolveMethodBaseURL(m); u != "" {
 			baseURL = u
 		}
@@ -246,15 +240,15 @@ func buildCredential(value string, src KeySource, m AuthMethod) Credential {
 }
 
 // resolveMethodBaseURL returns the user-supplied endpoint for a method: the
-// BaseURLEnv environment variable first, then the keychain entry stored next to
-// the key. Returns "" when neither is set.
+// BaseURLEnv value first, then (for RequiresBaseURL methods) the keychain entry
+// stored next to the key. Returns "" when neither is set.
 func resolveMethodBaseURL(m AuthMethod) string {
 	if m.BaseURLEnv != "" {
-		if v := os.Getenv(m.BaseURLEnv); v != "" {
+		if v, ok := ResolveEnvVar(m.BaseURLEnv); ok {
 			return v
 		}
 	}
-	if m.Keyring != "" {
+	if m.RequiresBaseURL && m.Keyring != "" {
 		if v, err := defaultStore().Get(methodBaseURLKeyringUser(m.Keyring)); err == nil && v != "" {
 			return v
 		}
@@ -583,6 +577,15 @@ func loadExeEnvFilePath() string {
 	return filepath.Join(filepath.Dir(exe), "..", "..", ".env")
 }
 
+func envFileSearchPaths() []string {
+	paths := []string{loadExeEnvFilePath()}
+	if home := HomeVixDir(); home != "" {
+		paths = append(paths, filepath.Join(home, ".env"))
+	}
+	paths = append(paths, ".env")
+	return paths
+}
+
 // loadKeyFromEnvFile reads a .env file and extracts the value of the given variable name.
 func loadKeyFromEnvFile(path, varName string) string {
 	if path == "" {
diff --git a/internal/config/keyring_test.go b/internal/config/keyring_test.go
index 7492ea7..d2aec35 100644
--- a/internal/config/keyring_test.go
+++ b/internal/config/keyring_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package config
 
 import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/zalando/go-keyring"
@@ -184,6 +186,43 @@ func TestListStoredProviderKeys(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestResolveEnvVarSearchesHomeVixDotEnv(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("HOME", t.TempDir())
+	t.Setenv("ANTHROPIC_API_KEY", "")
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(HomeVixDir(), 0o755); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("mkdir home .vix: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(HomeVixDir(), ".env"), []byte("ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=home-file-key\n"), 0o600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write home .env: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	got, ok := ResolveEnvVar("ANTHROPIC_API_KEY")
+	if !ok || got != "home-file-key" {
+		t.Fatalf("ResolveEnvVar = %q, %v; want home-file-key, true", got, ok)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestResolveProviderCredentialBaseURLFromDotEnv(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("HOME", t.TempDir())
+	t.Setenv("ANTHROPIC_API_KEY", "")
+	t.Setenv("ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL", "")
+	DeleteProviderKey("anthropic")
+
+	cwd := t.TempDir()
+	t.Chdir(cwd)
+	if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(cwd, ".env"), []byte("ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=dotenv-key\nANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://mock.example/v1\n"), 0o600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write cwd .env: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	cred := ResolveProviderCredential("anthropic")
+	if cred.Value != "dotenv-key" || cred.Source != KeySourceEnvFile {
+		t.Fatalf("credential = %+v; want key from .env", cred)
+	}
+	if cred.BaseURL != "https://mock.example/v1" {
+		t.Fatalf("baseURL = %q, want .env override", cred.BaseURL)
+	}
+}
+
 // TestMiMoTokenPlanCredential covers the Token Plan credential method: a key and
 // a user-supplied base URL are stored together, resolution returns both, and the
 // BaseURLEnv override wins over the stored endpoint.
diff --git a/internal/config/providers.go b/internal/config/providers.go
index 870e243..8b4ea0b 100644
--- a/internal/config/providers.go
+++ b/internal/config/providers.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package config
 
 import (
+	"strings"
+
 	"github.com/get-vix/vix/internal/auth"
 	"github.com/get-vix/vix/internal/providers"
 )
@@ -111,6 +113,10 @@ func credKindToAuthKind(kind string) AuthKind {
 
 // authMethodFromSpec projects a registry credential method into an AuthMethod.
 func authMethodFromSpec(m providers.CredentialMethod) AuthMethod {
+	baseURLEnv := m.BaseURLEnv
+	if baseURLEnv == "" && strings.HasSuffix(m.EnvVar, "_API_KEY") {
+		baseURLEnv = strings.TrimSuffix(m.EnvVar, "_API_KEY") + "_BASE_URL"
+	}
 	am := AuthMethod{
 		Kind:            credKindToAuthKind(m.Kind),
 		EnvVar:          m.EnvVar,
@@ -119,7 +125,7 @@ func authMethodFromSpec(m providers.CredentialMethod) AuthMethod {
 		BaseURL:         m.BaseURL,
 		Label:           m.Label,
 		RequiresBaseURL: m.RequiresBaseURL,
-		BaseURLEnv:      m.BaseURLEnv,
+		BaseURLEnv:      baseURLEnv,
 	}
 	if m.HeaderStyle == providers.AuthSchemeBearer {
 		am.HeaderStyle = BearerHeader