diff --git a/src/lib/dokploy.ts b/src/lib/dokploy.ts
index a355569..ab07812 100644
--- a/src/lib/dokploy.ts
+++ b/src/lib/dokploy.ts
@@ -187,11 +187,16 @@ export function createDokployClient(config: DokployConfig) {
   }
 
   async function saveEnvironment(applicationId: string, envVars: Record<string, string>): Promise<void> {
-    // Dokploy expects env as array of { key, value } objects OR a JSON string
-    const envArray = Object.entries(envVars).map(([key, value]) => ({ key, value }))
+    // Dokploy expects env as a .env-style string (KEY=value\nKEY2=value2)
+    const envString = Object.entries(envVars)
+      .map(([key, value]) => `${key}=${value}`)
+      .join('\n')
     await call('/application.saveEnvironment', {
       applicationId,
-      env: JSON.stringify(envArray),
+      env: envString,
+      buildArgs: '[]',
+      buildSecrets: '[]',
+      createEnvFile: true,
     })
   }