diff --git a/conf/configuration.go b/conf/configuration.go
index a9264d3b7..3d04e725c 100644
--- a/conf/configuration.go
+++ b/conf/configuration.go
@@ -258,6 +258,13 @@ type searchOptions struct {
 	FullString bool
 }
 
+// fatalFunc is called for fatal config errors. Defaults to printing + os.Exit(1).
+// Overridden in tests to allow testing fatal paths.
+var fatalFunc = func(msg string) {
+	_, _ = fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "FATAL:", msg)
+	os.Exit(1)
+}
+
 var (
 	Server = &configOptions{}
 	hooks  []func()
@@ -275,6 +282,7 @@ func LoadFromFile(confFile string) {
 
 func Load(noConfigDump bool) {
 	parseIniFileConfiguration()
+	remapEnvVarKeysFromConfig()
 
 	// Map deprecated options to their new names for backwards compatibility
 	mapDeprecatedOption("ReverseProxyWhitelist", "ExtAuth.TrustedSources")
@@ -466,6 +474,35 @@ func logRemovedOptions(options ...string) {
 	}
 }
 
+// remapEnvVarKeysFromConfig detects ND_-prefixed keys in the config file (users mistakenly
+// using environment variable names) and remaps them to canonical Viper keys with a warning.
+func remapEnvVarKeysFromConfig() {
+	for _, key := range viper.AllKeys() {
+		if !strings.HasPrefix(key, "nd_") || !viper.InConfig(key) {
+			continue
+		}
+		stripped := strings.TrimPrefix(key, "nd_")
+		canonicalKey := strings.ReplaceAll(stripped, "_", ".")
+		displayNDKey := "ND_" + strings.ToUpper(stripped)
+		displayCanonical := toPascalCase(canonicalKey)
+
+		if viper.InConfig(canonicalKey) {
+			fatalFunc(fmt.Sprintf(
+				"Config file contains both '%s' and '%s'. Remove the ND_-prefixed version. "+
+					"The 'ND_' prefix is only needed for environment variables, not config file keys.",
+				displayNDKey, displayCanonical,
+			))
+			return
+		}
+
+		viper.Set(canonicalKey, viper.Get(key))
+		_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "WARNING: Config key '%s' uses environment variable naming. Use '%s' instead. "+
+			"The 'ND_' prefix is only needed for environment variables.\n",
+			displayNDKey, displayCanonical,
+		)
+	}
+}
+
 // mapDeprecatedOption is used to provide backwards compatibility for deprecated options. It should be called after
 // the config has been read by viper, but before unmarshalling it into the Config struct.
 func mapDeprecatedOption(legacyName, newName string) {
@@ -617,6 +654,21 @@ func normalizeSearchBackend(value string) string {
 	}
 }
 
+// toPascalCase converts a dotted lowercase config key to PascalCase for display.
+// Example: "scanner.schedule" → "Scanner.Schedule"
+func toPascalCase(key string) string {
+	if key == "" {
+		return ""
+	}
+	parts := strings.Split(key, ".")
+	for i, part := range parts {
+		if len(part) > 0 {
+			parts[i] = strings.ToUpper(part[:1]) + part[1:]
+		}
+	}
+	return strings.Join(parts, ".")
+}
+
 // AddHook is used to register initialization code that should run as soon as the config is loaded
 func AddHook(hook func()) {
 	hooks = append(hooks, hook)
diff --git a/conf/configuration_test.go b/conf/configuration_test.go
index 73fec4196..9aba04197 100644
--- a/conf/configuration_test.go
+++ b/conf/configuration_test.go
@@ -108,6 +108,62 @@ var _ = Describe("Configuration", func() {
 		Entry("falls back to 'fts' for empty string", "", "fts"),
 	)
 
+	DescribeTable("ToPascalCase",
+		func(input, expected string) {
+			Expect(conf.ToPascalCase(input)).To(Equal(expected))
+		},
+		Entry("simple key", "address", "Address"),
+		Entry("dotted key", "scanner.schedule", "Scanner.Schedule"),
+		Entry("already capitalized", "Address", "Address"),
+		Entry("multi-segment", "lastfm.enabled", "Lastfm.Enabled"),
+		Entry("empty string", "", ""),
+	)
+
+	Describe("remapEnvVarKeysFromConfig", func() {
+		BeforeEach(func() {
+			viper.Reset()
+			conf.SetViperDefaults()
+			viper.SetDefault("datafolder", GinkgoT().TempDir())
+			viper.SetDefault("loglevel", "error")
+			conf.ResetConf()
+		})
+
+		It("remaps ND_-prefixed keys to canonical keys", func() {
+			filename := filepath.Join("testdata", "cfg_nd_keys.toml")
+			conf.InitConfig(filename, false)
+			conf.Load(true)
+
+			Expect(conf.Server.Address).To(Equal("127.0.0.1"))
+			Expect(conf.Server.Port).To(Equal(4531))
+			Expect(conf.Server.Scanner.Schedule).To(Equal("@every 1h"))
+		})
+
+		It("exits with fatal error when both ND_ and canonical key exist", func() {
+			cleanup := conf.SetFatalFunc(func(msg string) {
+				panic(msg)
+			})
+			defer cleanup()
+
+			filename := filepath.Join("testdata", "cfg_nd_conflict.toml")
+			conf.InitConfig(filename, false)
+
+			Expect(func() { conf.Load(true) }).To(PanicWith(And(
+				ContainSubstring("ND_ADDRESS"),
+				ContainSubstring("Address"),
+				ContainSubstring("only needed for environment variables"),
+			)))
+		})
+
+		It("does nothing when no ND_ keys are present", func() {
+			filename := filepath.Join("testdata", "cfg.toml")
+			conf.InitConfig(filename, false)
+			conf.Load(true)
+
+			// Verify normal config loading still works
+			Expect(conf.Server.MusicFolder).To(Equal("/toml/music"))
+		})
+	})
+
 	DescribeTable("should load configuration from",
 		func(format string) {
 			filename := filepath.Join("testdata", "cfg."+format)
diff --git a/conf/export_test.go b/conf/export_test.go
index d1d1bb3a9..6498215dc 100644
--- a/conf/export_test.go
+++ b/conf/export_test.go
@@ -11,3 +11,11 @@ var ParseLanguages = parseLanguages
 var ValidateURL = validateURL
 
 var NormalizeSearchBackend = normalizeSearchBackend
+
+var ToPascalCase = toPascalCase
+
+func SetFatalFunc(f func(string)) func() {
+	old := fatalFunc
+	fatalFunc = f
+	return func() { fatalFunc = old }
+}
diff --git a/conf/testdata/cfg_nd_conflict.toml b/conf/testdata/cfg_nd_conflict.toml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2e8b94bc3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conf/testdata/cfg_nd_conflict.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+ND_ADDRESS = "127.0.0.1"
+Address = "0.0.0.0"
diff --git a/conf/testdata/cfg_nd_keys.toml b/conf/testdata/cfg_nd_keys.toml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..de441ce66
--- /dev/null
+++ b/conf/testdata/cfg_nd_keys.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+ND_ADDRESS = "127.0.0.1"
+ND_PORT = 4531
+ND_SCANNER_SCHEDULE = "@every 1h"