diff --git a/docker-compose.yaml b/docker-compose.yaml
index b645d295..610bc41f 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yaml
+++ b/docker-compose.yaml
@@ -31,11 +31,11 @@ services:
     ports:
       - "6379:6379"
     command: >
-      --requirepass redissecret
+      --requirepass ${REDIS_PASSWORD:-redissecret}
     volumes:
       - redis_data:/data
     healthcheck:
-      test: ["CMD", "redis-cli", "-a", "redissecret", "ping"]
+      test: ["CMD", "redis-cli", "-a", "${REDIS_PASSWORD:-redissecret}", "ping"]
       interval: 3s
       timeout: 10s
       retries: 10
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ services:
       DATABASE_URL: "postgresql+asyncpg://postgres:${POSTGRES_PASSWORD:-postgres}@postgres:5432/postgres"
 
       # Redis configuration (using containerized redis)
-      REDIS_URL: "redis://:redissecret@redis:6379"
+      REDIS_URL: "redis://:${REDIS_PASSWORD:-redissecret}@redis:6379"
 
       # Storage configuration - using local MinIO
       ENABLE_AWS_S3: "false"
diff --git a/docs/deployment/docker.mdx b/docs/deployment/docker.mdx
index 04934e50..d5727108 100644
--- a/docs/deployment/docker.mdx
+++ b/docs/deployment/docker.mdx
@@ -56,7 +56,8 @@ Invoke-WebRequest -OutFile start_docker.ps1 https://raw.githubusercontent.com/do
 
 This setup:
 - Downloads the latest docker-compose.yaml
-- Creates `OSS_JWT_SECRET` in `.env` if one does not already exist
+- Creates `OSS_JWT_SECRET` and `REDIS_PASSWORD` in `.env` if they do not already exist
+- Creates `POSTGRES_PASSWORD` for brand-new `.env` files; existing installs keep their original Postgres password
 - Prompts before running Docker Compose
 - Starts all required services including PostgreSQL, Redis, MinIO, API, and UI
 - Pulls the latest images automatically
diff --git a/docs/deployment/update.mdx b/docs/deployment/update.mdx
index b2897788..b8eb414b 100644
--- a/docs/deployment/update.mdx
+++ b/docs/deployment/update.mdx
@@ -18,13 +18,12 @@ Dograh publishes two images — `dograh-api` and `dograh-ui` — to both contain
 - **GitHub Container Registry** — [github.com/orgs/dograh-hq/packages](https://github.com/orgs/dograh-hq/packages)
 - **Docker Hub** — [hub.docker.com/u/dograhai](https://hub.docker.com/u/dograhai)
 
-Each release is published under two kinds of tags. Note the formats differ between GitHub releases and the Docker image tags — `update_remote.sh` understands both and normalizes for you.
+Each release is published under release tags. Note the formats differ between GitHub releases and Docker image tags — `update_remote.sh` understands both and normalizes for you.
 
 | Where | Tag format | Example | When to use |
 |-------|-----------|---------|-------------|
-| GitHub release tag | `dograh-vX.Y.Z` | `dograh-v1.28.0` | What you see at [github.com/dograh-hq/dograh/releases](https://github.com/dograh-hq/dograh/releases) |
+| GitHub release tag | `dograh-vX.Y.Z` | `dograh-v1.28.0` | Use when copying the version from a GitHub release |
 | Docker image tag (semver) | `X.Y.Z` | `1.28.0` | Stable, recommended for production |
-| Docker image tag (SHA)    | short SHA | `a1b2c3d` | Bleeding edge — any commit merged to `main` |
 | Docker image tag (`latest`) | `latest` | `latest` | Tracks the most recent release tag |
 
 <Warning>
@@ -49,7 +48,7 @@ curl -o update_remote.sh https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dograh-hq/dograh/main
 bash update_remote.sh
 ```
 
-You'll be prompted for the target version, defaulting to the most recent release. Accepted forms: bare semver (`1.28.0`), v-prefixed (`v1.28.0`), the full GitHub tag (`dograh-v1.28.0`), or `main` for bleeding edge — the script normalizes them. Non-interactive callers can set it via environment variable and skip the confirmation prompt:
+You'll be prompted for the target version, defaulting to the most recent release. Accepted forms: bare semver (`1.28.0`), v-prefixed (`v1.28.0`), the full GitHub tag (`dograh-v1.28.0`), or `main` to refresh deployment files from the default branch — the script normalizes them. Non-interactive callers can set it via environment variable and skip the confirmation prompt:
 
 ```bash
 TARGET_VERSION=1.28.0 DOGRAH_UPDATE_YES=1 bash update_remote.sh
@@ -67,15 +66,17 @@ The script overwrites `docker-compose.yaml` and the remote helper bundle (`remot
 
 ## Local deployment
 
-For local Docker installs (the [Quick Start](/deployment/docker#quick-start) flow or `setup_local.sh` / `setup_local.ps1`), there are no host-side config files to refresh — stop the stack, then use the startup script to preserve `OSS_JWT_SECRET` and pull new images:
+For local Docker installs (the [Quick Start](/deployment/docker#quick-start) flow or `setup_local.sh` / `setup_local.ps1`), refresh `docker-compose.yaml` and the startup script, stop the stack, then run the startup script. The script preserves existing `.env` secrets, creates `REDIS_PASSWORD` if it is missing, and only creates `POSTGRES_PASSWORD` for brand-new `.env` files so existing Postgres volumes keep using their original password:
 
 <CodeGroup>
 ```bash macOS/Linux
+curl -o docker-compose.yaml https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dograh-hq/dograh/main/docker-compose.yaml
 curl -o start_docker.sh https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dograh-hq/dograh/main/scripts/start_docker.sh && chmod +x start_docker.sh
 docker compose down
 ./start_docker.sh
 ```
 ```powershell Windows
+Invoke-WebRequest -OutFile docker-compose.yaml https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dograh-hq/dograh/main/docker-compose.yaml
 Invoke-WebRequest -OutFile start_docker.ps1 https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dograh-hq/dograh/main/scripts/start_docker.ps1
 docker compose down
 .\start_docker.ps1
@@ -144,6 +145,6 @@ sudo docker compose --profile remote up -d
 If you update the `pipecat` submodule, you **must** run `git submodule update --init --recursive` before rebuilding, or the Docker build will not pick up `pipecat` changes.
 </Warning>
 
-If you maintain a fork with local customizations on top of upstream, merging conflicts in `docker-compose.yaml`, `remote_up.sh`, `scripts/run_dograh_init.sh`, `deploy/templates/*`, or `setup_remote.sh` is up to you — resolve them as you would any other git merge. Leave `OSS_JWT_SECRET` and `TURN_SECRET` in `.env` unchanged across updates to preserve sessions and WebRTC auth.
+If you maintain a fork with local customizations on top of upstream, merging conflicts in `docker-compose.yaml`, `remote_up.sh`, `scripts/run_dograh_init.sh`, `deploy/templates/*`, or `setup_remote.sh` is up to you — resolve them as you would any other git merge. Leave `OSS_JWT_SECRET`, `TURN_SECRET`, `POSTGRES_PASSWORD`, and `REDIS_PASSWORD` in `.env` unchanged across updates to preserve sessions, WebRTC auth, and service credentials.
 
 The same migration warning above applies: rolling back across a schema change can leave the DB in a state the older API can't read.
diff --git a/scripts/setup_local.ps1 b/scripts/setup_local.ps1
index d8b99137..ae594b72 100644
--- a/scripts/setup_local.ps1
+++ b/scripts/setup_local.ps1
@@ -244,6 +244,7 @@ if ($UseCoturn) {
 Write-Info "[2/$TotalSteps] Creating environment file..."
 $ossJwtSecret = New-HexSecret 32
 $postgresPassword = New-HexSecret 32
+$redisPassword = New-HexSecret 32
 
 $envLines = @(
     '# Container registry for Dograh images'
@@ -257,6 +258,11 @@ $envLines = @(
     '# is baked into the postgres data volume when it is first created.'
     "POSTGRES_PASSWORD=$postgresPassword"
     ''
+    "# Redis password. Used by the redis container's --requirepass and the API's"
+    '# REDIS_URL. This can be rotated by updating .env and recreating the redis'
+    '# container.'
+    "REDIS_PASSWORD=$redisPassword"
+    ''
     '# Telemetry (set to false to disable)'
     "ENABLE_TELEMETRY=$EnableTelemetry"
     ''
diff --git a/scripts/setup_local.sh b/scripts/setup_local.sh
index e94fb60c..4c74b316 100755
--- a/scripts/setup_local.sh
+++ b/scripts/setup_local.sh
@@ -151,6 +151,7 @@ ENV_STEP=$TOTAL_STEPS
 echo -e "${BLUE}[$ENV_STEP/$TOTAL_STEPS] Creating environment file...${NC}"
 OSS_JWT_SECRET=$(openssl rand -hex 32)
 POSTGRES_PASSWORD=$(openssl rand -hex 32)
+REDIS_PASSWORD=$(openssl rand -hex 32)
 
 cat > .env << ENV_EOF
 # Container registry for Dograh images
@@ -164,6 +165,11 @@ OSS_JWT_SECRET=$OSS_JWT_SECRET
 # baked into the postgres data volume when it is first created.
 POSTGRES_PASSWORD=$POSTGRES_PASSWORD
 
+# Redis password. Used by the redis container's --requirepass and the API's
+# REDIS_URL. This can be rotated by updating .env and recreating the redis
+# container.
+REDIS_PASSWORD=$REDIS_PASSWORD
+
 # Telemetry (set to false to disable)
 ENABLE_TELEMETRY=$ENABLE_TELEMETRY
 
diff --git a/scripts/setup_remote.sh b/scripts/setup_remote.sh
index f1a0d149..b1a75d50 100755
--- a/scripts/setup_remote.sh
+++ b/scripts/setup_remote.sh
@@ -252,6 +252,7 @@ echo -e "${GREEN}✓ SSL certificates generated${NC}"
 echo -e "${BLUE}[4/$TOTAL] Creating environment file...${NC}"
 OSS_JWT_SECRET=$(openssl rand -hex 32)
 POSTGRES_PASSWORD=$(openssl rand -hex 32)
+REDIS_PASSWORD=$(openssl rand -hex 32)
 
 cat > .env << ENV_EOF
 # Remote deployments run with production signaling and HTTPS defaults
@@ -282,6 +283,11 @@ OSS_JWT_SECRET=$OSS_JWT_SECRET
 # baked into the postgres data volume when it is first created.
 POSTGRES_PASSWORD=$POSTGRES_PASSWORD
 
+# Redis password. Used by the redis container's --requirepass and the API's
+# REDIS_URL. Unlike postgres, this is not baked into a volume and can be
+# rotated by updating .env and recreating the redis container.
+REDIS_PASSWORD=$REDIS_PASSWORD
+
 # Telemetry (set to false to disable)
 ENABLE_TELEMETRY=$ENABLE_TELEMETRY
 
diff --git a/scripts/start_docker.ps1 b/scripts/start_docker.ps1
index e039bb9a..8fff43ba 100644
--- a/scripts/start_docker.ps1
+++ b/scripts/start_docker.ps1
@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@ if (-not (Test-Path 'docker-compose.yaml')) {
     exit 1
 }
 
+$envFileExisted = Test-Path $EnvFile
+
 $existingSecret = Get-DotEnvValue -Path $EnvFile -Key 'OSS_JWT_SECRET'
 if ([string]::IsNullOrEmpty($existingSecret)) {
     Set-DotEnvValue -Path $EnvFile -Key 'OSS_JWT_SECRET' -Value (New-HexSecret)
@@ -73,6 +75,26 @@ if ([string]::IsNullOrEmpty($existingSecret)) {
     Write-Host "OSS_JWT_SECRET is already set in $EnvFile."
 }
 
+$existingPostgresPassword = Get-DotEnvValue -Path $EnvFile -Key 'POSTGRES_PASSWORD'
+if ([string]::IsNullOrEmpty($existingPostgresPassword)) {
+    if (-not $envFileExisted) {
+        Set-DotEnvValue -Path $EnvFile -Key 'POSTGRES_PASSWORD' -Value (New-HexSecret)
+        Write-Host "Created POSTGRES_PASSWORD in $EnvFile."
+    } else {
+        Write-Host "POSTGRES_PASSWORD is not set in $EnvFile; keeping the docker-compose fallback for existing local data volumes."
+    }
+} else {
+    Write-Host "POSTGRES_PASSWORD is already set in $EnvFile."
+}
+
+$existingRedisPassword = Get-DotEnvValue -Path $EnvFile -Key 'REDIS_PASSWORD'
+if ([string]::IsNullOrEmpty($existingRedisPassword)) {
+    Set-DotEnvValue -Path $EnvFile -Key 'REDIS_PASSWORD' -Value (New-HexSecret)
+    Write-Host "Created REDIS_PASSWORD in $EnvFile."
+} else {
+    Write-Host "REDIS_PASSWORD is already set in $EnvFile."
+}
+
 Write-Host ''
 Write-Host "Docker registry: $Registry"
 Write-Host "Telemetry enabled: $EnableTelemetry"
diff --git a/scripts/start_docker.sh b/scripts/start_docker.sh
index 9cb96750..199f3b8d 100755
--- a/scripts/start_docker.sh
+++ b/scripts/start_docker.sh
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ generate_secret() {
         return
     fi
 
-    fail "Could not generate OSS_JWT_SECRET. Install python3 or openssl, or set OSS_JWT_SECRET manually in .env."
+    fail "Could not generate a secret. Install python3 or openssl, or set secrets manually in .env."
 }
 
 dotenv_value() {
@@ -76,6 +76,11 @@ set_dotenv_value() {
 
 [[ -f docker-compose.yaml ]] || fail "docker-compose.yaml not found. Download it first, then re-run this script."
 
+env_file_existed=false
+if [[ -f "$ENV_FILE" ]]; then
+    env_file_existed=true
+fi
+
 existing_secret="$(dotenv_value OSS_JWT_SECRET || true)"
 if [[ -z "$existing_secret" ]]; then
     set_dotenv_value OSS_JWT_SECRET "$(generate_secret)"
@@ -84,6 +89,26 @@ else
     echo "OSS_JWT_SECRET is already set in $ENV_FILE."
 fi
 
+existing_postgres_password="$(dotenv_value POSTGRES_PASSWORD || true)"
+if [[ -z "$existing_postgres_password" ]]; then
+    if [[ "$env_file_existed" == "false" ]]; then
+        set_dotenv_value POSTGRES_PASSWORD "$(generate_secret)"
+        echo "Created POSTGRES_PASSWORD in $ENV_FILE."
+    else
+        echo "POSTGRES_PASSWORD is not set in $ENV_FILE; keeping the docker-compose fallback for existing local data volumes."
+    fi
+else
+    echo "POSTGRES_PASSWORD is already set in $ENV_FILE."
+fi
+
+existing_redis_password="$(dotenv_value REDIS_PASSWORD || true)"
+if [[ -z "$existing_redis_password" ]]; then
+    set_dotenv_value REDIS_PASSWORD "$(generate_secret)"
+    echo "Created REDIS_PASSWORD in $ENV_FILE."
+else
+    echo "REDIS_PASSWORD is already set in $ENV_FILE."
+fi
+
 echo ""
 echo "Docker registry: $REGISTRY"
 echo "Telemetry enabled: $ENABLE_TELEMETRY"
diff --git a/scripts/update_remote.sh b/scripts/update_remote.sh
index 1dc75e71..922f1f80 100755
--- a/scripts/update_remote.sh
+++ b/scripts/update_remote.sh
@@ -31,6 +31,22 @@ trap cleanup EXIT
 REPO="dograh-hq/dograh"
 TIMESTAMP=$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S)
 
+generate_secret() {
+    if command -v python3 >/dev/null 2>&1 && python3 -c 'import secrets; print(secrets.token_hex(32))'; then
+        return
+    fi
+
+    if command -v openssl >/dev/null 2>&1 && openssl rand -hex 32; then
+        return
+    fi
+
+    if [[ -r /dev/urandom ]] && command -v od >/dev/null 2>&1 && command -v tr >/dev/null 2>&1 && od -An -N32 -tx1 /dev/urandom | tr -d ' \n'; then
+        return
+    fi
+
+    dograh_fail "Could not generate REDIS_PASSWORD. Install python3 or openssl, or set REDIS_PASSWORD manually in .env."
+}
+
 echo -e "${BLUE}"
 echo "╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗"
 echo "║                  Dograh Remote Update                        ║"
@@ -96,7 +112,7 @@ if [[ -z "$TARGET_VERSION" ]]; then
     if [[ -t 0 ]]; then
         echo ""
         echo -e "${YELLOW}Target version. Accepted forms: bare semver (1.28.0), v-prefixed (v1.28.0),${NC}"
-        echo -e "${YELLOW}full git tag (dograh-v1.28.0), or 'main' for bleeding edge.${NC}"
+        echo -e "${YELLOW}full git tag (dograh-v1.28.0), or 'main' for the latest deployment files.${NC}"
         read -p "[$LATEST_TAG]: " TARGET_VERSION
         TARGET_VERSION="${TARGET_VERSION:-$LATEST_TAG}"
     else
@@ -219,6 +235,10 @@ fi
 
 echo -e "${BLUE}[3/3] Synchronizing environment and validating init-based remote config...${NC}"
 dograh_set_env_key .env FASTAPI_WORKERS "$FASTAPI_WORKERS"
+if [[ -z "${REDIS_PASSWORD:-}" ]]; then
+    dograh_set_env_key .env REDIS_PASSWORD "$(generate_secret)"
+    dograh_success "✓ REDIS_PASSWORD created in .env"
+fi
 dograh_prepare_remote_install "$(pwd)"
 docker compose config -q
 dograh_success "✓ Remote init configuration validated"