diff --git a/agents/claude.ts b/agents/claude.ts
index 1928aca..66bd706 100644
--- a/agents/claude.ts
+++ b/agents/claude.ts
@@ -50,9 +50,6 @@ export const claude = agent({
     // install CLI at start of run
     const cliPath = await installClaude();
 
-    // Ensure API key is NOT in process.env - only pass via SDK's env option
-    delete process.env.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY;
-
     // select model based on effort level
     const model = claudeEffortModels[ctx.effort];
     log.info(`» using model: ${model} (effort: ${ctx.effort})`);
@@ -63,8 +60,6 @@ export const claude = agent({
       log.info(`» disallowed tools: ${disallowedTools.join(", ")}`);
     }
 
-    // Pass secrets via SDK's env option only (not process.env)
-    // This ensures secrets are only available to Claude Code subprocess, not user code
     const queryOptions: Options = {
       permissionMode: "bypassPermissions" as const,
       disallowedTools,
diff --git a/entry b/entry
index 420180c..fa15636 100755
--- a/entry
+++ b/entry
@@ -136852,7 +136852,6 @@ var claude = agent({
   install: installClaude,
   run: async (ctx) => {
     const cliPath = await installClaude();
-    delete process.env.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY;
     const model = claudeEffortModels[ctx.effort];
     log.info(`\xBB using model: ${model} (effort: ${ctx.effort})`);
     const disallowedTools = buildDisallowedTools(ctx);
diff --git a/utils/payload.ts b/utils/payload.ts
index 050ad31..df7935a 100644
--- a/utils/payload.ts
+++ b/utils/payload.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@ const JsonPayload = type({
 });
 
 // inputs schema - action inputs from core.getInput()
+// note: tool permissions use .or("undefined") because getInput() || undefined
+// explicitly sets the property to undefined when empty, which is different from
+// the property being absent. arktype's "prop?" means "optional to include" but
+// if included, must match the type - so we need to explicitly allow undefined.
 export const Inputs = type({
   prompt: "string",
   "effort?": Effort,