diff --git a/src/env.ts b/src/env.ts
index 8a38b74..25f8922 100644
--- a/src/env.ts
+++ b/src/env.ts
@@ -4,29 +4,20 @@ import * as os from 'os';
 
 const GLOBAL_ENV_PATH = path.join(os.homedir(), '.openclaw', '.env');
 
-/** Keys that were loaded from .env (not pre-existing in process.env) */
-const loadedKeys = new Set<string>();
-let loaded = false;
-
 /**
- * Load ~/.openclaw/.env into process.env (once, won't overwrite explicitly set env vars).
+ * Load ~/.openclaw/.env into process.env.
+ * Always reads fresh from disk — no caching.
+ * File values always override process.env.
  */
 export function loadGlobalEnv(): void {
-  if (loaded) return;
-  loaded = true;
   applyEnvFile();
 }
 
 /**
- * Force re-read ~/.openclaw/.env. Overwrites keys that were originally loaded
- * from .env, but still won't touch keys set externally (e.g. shell export).
+ * Force re-read ~/.openclaw/.env.
+ * Same as loadGlobalEnv — always reads fresh.
  */
 export function reloadGlobalEnv(): void {
-  // Clear values we previously loaded so applyEnvFile can overwrite them
-  for (const key of loadedKeys) {
-    delete process.env[key];
-  }
-  loadedKeys.clear();
   applyEnvFile();
 }
 
@@ -53,10 +44,7 @@ function applyEnvFile(): void {
       value = value.slice(1, -1);
     }
 
-    // don't overwrite explicitly set env vars
-    if (process.env[key] === undefined) {
-      process.env[key] = value;
-      loadedKeys.add(key);
-    }
+    // Always use file value — real-time read, no caching
+    process.env[key] = value;
   }
 }