diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 87d6c5f..9986d25 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -38,16 +38,18 @@ ADMIN_EMAIL=your-email@example.com  # Used for admin user account
 # AUTHELIA SSO CONFIGURATION
 # ====================================
 # Generate these secrets with: openssl rand -hex 64
-# The deploy script will use these to configure Authelia
+# The setup script will auto-generate these if not set
 
 AUTHELIA_JWT_SECRET=generate-with-openssl-rand-hex-64
 AUTHELIA_SESSION_SECRET=generate-with-openssl-rand-hex-64
 AUTHELIA_STORAGE_ENCRYPTION_KEY=generate-with-openssl-rand-hex-64
 
-# Authelia Admin Password (OPTIONAL)
-# If not provided, deploy script will generate a random password
-# and save it to /opt/stacks/core/authelia/ADMIN_PASSWORD.txt
-# AUTHELIA_ADMIN_PASSWORD=your-secure-password-here
+# Authelia Admin Credentials
+# These will be auto-generated by setup-homelab.sh
+# DO NOT set these manually - they are generated during setup
+# AUTHELIA_ADMIN_USER=admin
+# AUTHELIA_ADMIN_EMAIL=admin@example.com
+# AUTHELIA_ADMIN_PASSWORD=auto-generated-password
 
 # SMTP for Authelia Notifications (OPTIONAL)
 # If not configured, notifications are saved to file instead
diff --git a/scripts/deploy-homelab.sh b/scripts/deploy-homelab.sh
index d36aac6..0ca8cd1 100755
--- a/scripts/deploy-homelab.sh
+++ b/scripts/deploy-homelab.sh
@@ -180,7 +180,40 @@ sed -i "s/your-domain.duckdns.org/${DOMAIN}/g" /opt/stacks/core/authelia/configu
 
 # Configure Authelia admin user from setup script
 if [ -f /opt/stacks/.setup-temp/authelia_admin_credentials.tmp ] && [ -f /opt/stacks/.setup-temp/authelia_password_hash.tmp ]; then
-    log_info "Loading Authelia admin credentials from setup script..."
+    log_info "Loading Authelia admin credentials from setup temp files..."
+    source /opt/stacks/.setup-temp/authelia_admin_credentials.tmp
+elif [ -n "${AUTHELIA_ADMIN_USER}" ] && [ -n "${AUTHELIA_ADMIN_EMAIL}" ] && [ -n "${AUTHELIA_ADMIN_PASSWORD}" ]; then
+    log_info "Loading Authelia admin credentials from .env file..."
+    ADMIN_USER="${AUTHELIA_ADMIN_USER}"
+    ADMIN_EMAIL="${AUTHELIA_ADMIN_EMAIL}"
+    ADMIN_PASSWORD="${AUTHELIA_ADMIN_PASSWORD}"
+    
+    # Generate password hash from the password in .env
+    log_info "Generating password hash from .env credentials..."
+    docker run --rm authelia/authelia:4.37 authelia crypto hash generate argon2 --password "$ADMIN_PASSWORD" > /tmp/authelia_password_hash_from_env.tmp 2>/dev/null
+    
+    if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
+        # Create temp directory and files for the rest of the script
+        mkdir -p /opt/stacks/.setup-temp
+        echo "ADMIN_USER=$ADMIN_USER" > /opt/stacks/.setup-temp/authelia_admin_credentials.tmp
+        echo "ADMIN_EMAIL=$ADMIN_EMAIL" >> /opt/stacks/.setup-temp/authelia_admin_credentials.tmp
+        echo "ADMIN_PASSWORD=$ADMIN_PASSWORD" >> /opt/stacks/.setup-temp/authelia_admin_credentials.tmp
+        chmod 600 /opt/stacks/.setup-temp/authelia_admin_credentials.tmp
+        
+        # Extract just the hash line
+        grep '^\$argon2' /tmp/authelia_password_hash_from_env.tmp > /opt/stacks/.setup-temp/authelia_password_hash.tmp || tail -1 /tmp/authelia_password_hash_from_env.tmp > /opt/stacks/.setup-temp/authelia_password_hash.tmp
+        chmod 600 /opt/stacks/.setup-temp/authelia_password_hash.tmp
+        rm -f /tmp/authelia_password_hash_from_env.tmp
+        
+        log_success "Credentials loaded from .env file"
+    else
+        log_error "Failed to generate password hash from .env credentials"
+        ADMIN_USER=""
+        ADMIN_EMAIL=""
+    fi
+fi
+
+if [ -f /opt/stacks/.setup-temp/authelia_admin_credentials.tmp ] && [ -f /opt/stacks/.setup-temp/authelia_password_hash.tmp ]; then
     source /opt/stacks/.setup-temp/authelia_admin_credentials.tmp
     
     if [ -n "$ADMIN_USER" ] && [ -n "$ADMIN_EMAIL" ]; then
diff --git a/scripts/setup-homelab.sh b/scripts/setup-homelab.sh
index f1ac5f8..8cc9a40 100755
--- a/scripts/setup-homelab.sh
+++ b/scripts/setup-homelab.sh
@@ -364,6 +364,18 @@ chmod 600 /opt/stacks/.setup-temp/authelia_admin_credentials.tmp
 cp /tmp/authelia_password_hash.tmp /opt/stacks/.setup-temp/authelia_password_hash.tmp
 chmod 600 /opt/stacks/.setup-temp/authelia_password_hash.tmp
 
+# Also save to .env file for persistence across reboots
+log_info "Saving credentials to .env file for persistence..."
+sed -i "/^AUTHELIA_ADMIN_USER=/d" "$REPO_ENV_FILE"
+sed -i "/^AUTHELIA_ADMIN_EMAIL=/d" "$REPO_ENV_FILE"
+sed -i "/^AUTHELIA_ADMIN_PASSWORD=/d" "$REPO_ENV_FILE"
+echo "" >> "$REPO_ENV_FILE"
+echo "# Authelia Admin Credentials (generated by setup script)" >> "$REPO_ENV_FILE"
+echo "AUTHELIA_ADMIN_USER=$ADMIN_USER" >> "$REPO_ENV_FILE"
+echo "AUTHELIA_ADMIN_EMAIL=$ADMIN_EMAIL" >> "$REPO_ENV_FILE"
+echo "AUTHELIA_ADMIN_PASSWORD=$ADMIN_PASSWORD" >> "$REPO_ENV_FILE"
+log_success "Credentials saved to .env file"
+
 log_info "Credentials saved for deployment script"
 echo ""