diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index cc5c01d..8520804 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -128,6 +128,14 @@ openclaw gateway restart
 | `claude-haiku-4` | haiku | Fastest, lightweight |
 
 ## Authentication
+The proxy supports optional Bearer token authentication via the `PROXY_API_KEY` environment variable.
+
+**When `PROXY_API_KEY` is set**, all requests (except `GET /health`) must include a valid `Authorization: Bearer <token>` header. Requests with a missing or invalid token receive a `401 Unauthorized` response.
+
+**When `PROXY_API_KEY` is not set**, authentication is disabled and all requests are accepted (backwards compatible with v1.6.x and earlier).
+
+For local Claude Max / OAuth usage, avoid exporting `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` globally into the shell that launches the proxy. `v1.7.1` also sanitizes `ANTHROPIC_*` variables before spawning Claude subprocesses to reduce accidental auth-path pollution.
+
 
 The proxy supports optional Bearer token authentication via the `PROXY_API_KEY` environment variable.
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 24f9a96..8110e5e 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "openclaw-claude-proxy",
-  "version": "1.7.0",
-  "description": "OpenAI-compatible proxy that routes requests through Claude CLI — use your Claude Pro/Max subscription as an OpenClaw model provider",
+  "version": "1.7.1",
+  "description": "OpenAI-compatible proxy that routes requests through Claude CLI \u2014 use your Claude Pro/Max subscription as an OpenClaw model provider",
   "type": "module",
   "bin": {
     "openclaw-claude-proxy": "./server.mjs"
@@ -10,7 +10,13 @@
     "start": "node server.mjs",
     "setup": "node setup.mjs"
   },
-  "keywords": ["openclaw", "claude", "proxy", "openai", "anthropic"],
+  "keywords": [
+    "openclaw",
+    "claude",
+    "proxy",
+    "openai",
+    "anthropic"
+  ],
   "license": "MIT",
   "engines": {
     "node": ">=18"
diff --git a/server.mjs b/server.mjs
index 387e1d4..6506785 100644
--- a/server.mjs
+++ b/server.mjs
@@ -78,6 +78,9 @@ const poolBackoff = new Map(); // model → { failures: number, timer: TimeoutId
 function spawnWarm(cliModel) {
   const env = { ...process.env };
   delete env.CLAUDECODE;
+  delete env.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY;
+  delete env.ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL;
+  delete env.ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN;
 
   const proc = spawn(CLAUDE, [
     "-p", "--model", cliModel,
@@ -276,6 +279,9 @@ function callClaude(model, messages) {
       console.log(`[pool] no warm process for model=${cliModel}, cold starting...`);
       const env = { ...process.env };
       delete env.CLAUDECODE;
+      delete env.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY;
+      delete env.ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL;
+      delete env.ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN;
       proc = spawn(CLAUDE, [
         "-p", "--model", cliModel,
         "--output-format", "text",
@@ -390,6 +396,10 @@ async function handleChatCompletions(req, res) {
     }
   } catch (err) {
     console.error(`[proxy] error: ${err.message}`);
+    if (res.headersSent || res.writableEnded || res.destroyed) {
+      try { res.end(); } catch {}
+      return;
+    }
     jsonResponse(res, 500, { error: { message: err.message, type: "proxy_error" } });
   }
 }
diff --git a/setup.mjs b/setup.mjs
index 3f7b0d2..9888f55 100755
--- a/setup.mjs
+++ b/setup.mjs
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ try {
   const out = execSync('claude -p --output-format text --no-session-persistence -- "ping"', {
     encoding: "utf-8",
     timeout: 30000,
-    env: { ...process.env, CLAUDECODE: undefined },
+    env: { ...process.env, CLAUDECODE: undefined, ANTHROPIC_API_KEY: undefined, ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL: undefined, ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN: undefined },
   }).trim();
   if (out.length > 0) {
     log(`Claude CLI authenticated (test response: "${out.slice(0, 40)}...")`);
diff --git a/start.sh b/start.sh
index 4c3f386..4f84f4f 100755
--- a/start.sh
+++ b/start.sh
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 #!/bin/bash
-# Start claude-proxy if not already running
-if ! lsof -i :3456 -sTCP:LISTEN &>/dev/null; then
+# Start openclaw-claude-proxy if not already running
+PORT=${CLAUDE_PROXY_PORT:-3456}
+if ! lsof -i :$PORT -sTCP:LISTEN &>/dev/null; then
   unset CLAUDECODE
-  nohup /opt/homebrew/bin/node /Users/taodeng/.openclaw/projects/claude-proxy/server.mjs \
-    >> ~/.openclaw/logs/claude-proxy.log \
-    2>> ~/.openclaw/logs/claude-proxy.err.log &
-  echo "claude-proxy started (pid $!)"
+  nohup node "/Users/taodeng/.openclaw/projects/claude-proxy/openclaw-claude-proxy/server.mjs" \
+    >> "/Users/taodeng/.openclaw/logs/claude-proxy.log" \
+    2>> "/Users/taodeng/.openclaw/logs/claude-proxy.err.log" &
+  echo "claude-proxy started on port $PORT (pid $!)"
 else
-  echo "claude-proxy already running"
+  echo "claude-proxy already running on port $PORT"
 fi