diff --git a/relay/lib/relay.mjs b/relay/lib/relay.mjs
index 511ce7d2..ca5f777e 100644
--- a/relay/lib/relay.mjs
+++ b/relay/lib/relay.mjs
@@ -39,6 +39,9 @@ export function authed(req) {
   if (sameSecret(given, token)) return 'token';
   const k = req.headers['x-igneum-key'];
   if (sameSecret(k, key)) return 'key';
+  // the key packaged into every miner app (LOG_INTAKE_KEY, and its successor during a rotation) reports too: the
+  // build job uploads its binaries with it (5 October 2026: 0.3.5 apps got "no token" after the relay key split)
+  for (const name of ['LOG_INTAKE_KEY', 'LOG_INTAKE_KEY_NEXT']) if (process.env[name] && sameSecret(k, process.env[name])) return 'key';
   return null;
 }