.

config.py

@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 # app/config.py
+from __future__ import annotations
+
 import json
 import os
 from functools import lru_cache
@@ -35,7 +37,6 @@ def _env_or(raw_val: str | None, env_name: str | None):
     if raw_val != ".env":
         return raw_val
     key = env_name or ""
-    # If an explicit env name isn't passed, try a sensible default
     if not key:
         return None
     return os.environ.get(key)
@@ -69,7 +70,7 @@ class _SettingsModel(BaseModel):
     # Core (env can still override each)
     AMQP_URL: str | None = None
 
-    # Rabbit defaults (match what you already had)
+    # Rabbit defaults
     RABBIT_INSTANCE_NAME: str = "prod"
     RABBIT_EXCHANGE_TYPE: str = "topic"
     RABBIT_ROUTING_KEY: str = ""
@@ -86,7 +87,8 @@ class _SettingsModel(BaseModel):
     EXCHANGE_TYPES: dict[str, str] = Field(default_factory=dict)
 
     # appsettings.json fields that we may use to assemble AMQP_URL
-    LocalSystemUrl: LocalSystemUrl | None = None
+    # Rename the field to avoid clashing with the type name; keep alias for input
+    LocalSystem: LocalSystemUrl | None = Field(default=None, alias="LocalSystemUrl")
     ServiceID: str | None = None
     RabbitRoutingKey: str | None = None
     RabbitExhangeType: str | None = None  # (note the spelling in your JSON)
@@ -96,12 +98,12 @@ class _SettingsModel(BaseModel):
     RedisUrl: str | None = None
     RedisSecret: str | None = None
 
-    # pydantic config
     if IS_V2:
-        model_config = SettingsConfigDict(extra="ignore")
+        model_config = SettingsConfigDict(extra="ignore", populate_by_name=True)
     else:
         class Config:
             extra = "ignore"
+            allow_population_by_field_name = True
 
 
 def _build_amqp_url_from_local(local: LocalSystemUrl, top_level_use_tls: bool | None):
@@ -122,10 +124,8 @@ def _build_amqp_url_from_local(local: LocalSystemUrl, top_level_use_tls: bool |
     scheme = "amqps" if use_tls else "amqp"
 
     # password indirection
-    # If RabbitPassword is ".env", read RABBIT_PASSWORD (conventional)
     raw_pwd = local.RabbitPassword
     pwd = raw_pwd if raw_pwd and raw_pwd != ".env" else os.environ.get("RABBIT_PASSWORD")
-    # fall back to standard names, just in case
     if not pwd:
         pwd = os.environ.get("RabbitPassword") or os.environ.get("RABBIT_PASS")
 
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ def _build_amqp_url_from_local(local: LocalSystemUrl, top_level_use_tls: bool |
     host = local.RabbitHostName
     port = local.RabbitPort or (5671 if scheme == "amqps" else 5672)
     vhost = local.RabbitVHost or "/"
-    vhost_enc = quote(vhost, safe="")  # encode e.g. "/vhostuser" -> "%2Fvhostuser"
+    vhost_enc = quote(vhost, safe="")
 
     return f"{scheme}://{user}:{pwd}@{host}:{port}/{vhost_enc}?heartbeat=30"
 
@@ -159,9 +159,9 @@ def _merge_env_over_json(j: dict) -> _SettingsModel:
     if model.UseTls is not None:
         model.USE_TLS = _bool(model.UseTls, model.USE_TLS)
 
-    # If AMQP_URL not set, try to build from LocalSystemUrl
-    if not model.AMQP_URL and model.LocalSystemUrl:
-        built = _build_amqp_url_from_local(model.LocalSystemUrl, model.UseTls)
+    # If AMQP_URL not set, try to build from LocalSystem (aliased from LocalSystemUrl)
+    if not model.AMQP_URL and model.LocalSystem:
+        built = _build_amqp_url_from_local(model.LocalSystem, model.UseTls)
         if built:
             model.AMQP_URL = built
 
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ def _merge_env_over_json(j: dict) -> _SettingsModel:
         model.RABBIT_TLS_CHECK_HOSTNAME = _bool(env["RABBIT_TLS_CHECK_HOSTNAME"], model.RABBIT_TLS_CHECK_HOSTNAME)
     model.RABBIT_TLS_CA_FILE = env.get("RABBIT_TLS_CA_FILE", model.RABBIT_TLS_CA_FILE)
 
-    # SERVICE_ID can be overridden (you renamed yours to gradllm)
+    # SERVICE_ID can be overridden
     model.SERVICE_ID = env.get("SERVICE_ID", model.SERVICE_ID)
 
     # Optional EXCHANGE_TYPES as JSON string in env