diff --git a/scripts/litellm-health-check.sh b/scripts/litellm-health-check.sh
index 8f8c5f9..2b2203d 100755
--- a/scripts/litellm-health-check.sh
+++ b/scripts/litellm-health-check.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/bash
+LLK="${LITELLM_API_KEY:?LITELLM_API_KEY must be set}"
 # LiteLLM Health Check + Self-Heal — Automated (every 6 hours)
 # Deployed from litellm-self-heal.prose.md contract
 # Writes results to RA-H OS knowledge graph via MCP bridge