diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
index 0169946..c304d6f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -21,3 +21,5 @@ jobs:
           python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
       - run: pip install -e . pytest
       - run: pytest tests/ -v
+        env:
+          SWATGENX_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.SWATGENX_API_KEY }}
diff --git a/tests/test_public.py b/tests/test_public.py
index 746f4d3..f58cba7 100644
--- a/tests/test_public.py
+++ b/tests/test_public.py
@@ -87,7 +87,9 @@ def test_access_info_ladder():
     assert len(info.get("tiers", [])) == 4
 
 
-def test_client_requires_key():
+def test_client_requires_key(monkeypatch):
+    # Client falls back to SWATGENX_API_KEY, which CI now sets; clear it so this still tests the no-key path.
+    monkeypatch.delenv("SWATGENX_API_KEY", raising=False)
     with pytest.raises(sg.SwatGenXError, match="API key"):
         sg.Client(api_key="")