diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-desktop.yml b/.github/workflows/release-desktop.yml
index c7fb18d0553..068c26bf13f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-desktop.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-desktop.yml
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ jobs:
   build:
     name: Build - macOS (${{ matrix.arch }})
     runs-on: macos-latest
+    environment: production
 
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
@@ -54,6 +55,9 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Compile app with electron-vite
         working-directory: apps/desktop
+        env:
+          NEXT_PUBLIC_POSTHOG_KEY: ${{ secrets.NEXT_PUBLIC_POSTHOG_KEY }}
+          NEXT_PUBLIC_POSTHOG_HOST: ${{ secrets.NEXT_PUBLIC_POSTHOG_HOST }}
         run: bun run compile:app
 
       # Build the Electron app for macOS
diff --git a/apps/desktop/electron.vite.config.ts b/apps/desktop/electron.vite.config.ts
index 8644e787fae..3c982a6f925 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/electron.vite.config.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/electron.vite.config.ts
@@ -106,8 +106,17 @@ export default defineConfig({
 
 	renderer: {
 		define: {
+			// Core env vars - Vite replaces these at build time
 			"process.env.NODE_ENV": JSON.stringify(process.env.NODE_ENV),
 			"process.platform": JSON.stringify(process.platform),
+			// API URLs - available in renderer if needed
+			"process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL": JSON.stringify(
+				process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL || "https://api.superset.sh",
+			),
+			"process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_WEB_URL": JSON.stringify(
+				process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_WEB_URL || "https://app.superset.sh",
+			),
+			// Custom env vars
 			"import.meta.env.DEV_SERVER_PORT": JSON.stringify(DEV_SERVER_PORT),
 			"import.meta.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_POSTHOG_KEY": JSON.stringify(
 				process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_POSTHOG_KEY,
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/electron-app/factories/app/setup.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/electron-app/factories/app/setup.ts
index 28112c40ffa..579fa340392 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/lib/electron-app/factories/app/setup.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/lib/electron-app/factories/app/setup.ts
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ import {
 	installExtension,
 	REACT_DEVELOPER_TOOLS,
 } from "electron-extension-installer";
+import { env } from "main/env.main";
 import { PLATFORM } from "shared/constants";
 import { makeAppId } from "shared/utils";
-import { env } from "../../../../env";
 import { ignoreConsoleWarnings } from "../../utils/ignore-console-warnings";
 
 ignoreConsoleWarnings(["Manifest version 2 is deprecated"]);
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/electron-router-dom.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/electron-router-dom.ts
index 6af34dbdb51..cc2115093a2 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/lib/electron-router-dom.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/lib/electron-router-dom.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import type { BrowserWindow } from "electron";
 import { createElectronRouter } from "electron-router-dom";
 import { PORTS } from "shared/constants";
-import { env } from "../env";
+import { env } from "shared/env.shared";
 
 const electronRouter = createElectronRouter({
 	port: PORTS.VITE_DEV_SERVER,
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/env.ts b/apps/desktop/src/main/env.main.ts
similarity index 56%
rename from apps/desktop/src/env.ts
rename to apps/desktop/src/main/env.main.ts
index 7f9a3dc46c5..207e32d81f4 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/env.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/main/env.main.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+/**
+ * Environment variables for the MAIN PROCESS (Node.js context).
+ *
+ * This file uses t3-env with process.env which works at runtime in Node.js.
+ * Only import this file in src/main/ code - never in renderer or shared code.
+ *
+ * For renderer process env vars, use src/renderer/env.renderer.ts instead.
+ */
 import { createEnv } from "@t3-oss/env-core";
 import { z } from "zod/v4";
 
@@ -12,11 +20,10 @@ export const env = createEnv({
 
 	runtimeEnv: {
 		...process.env,
-		// Vite's define replaces this at build time, ensuring correct env in packaged apps
 		NODE_ENV: process.env.NODE_ENV,
 	},
 	emptyStringAsUndefined: true,
 
-	// Electron runs in a trusted environment - treat renderer as server context
+	// Main process runs in trusted Node.js environment
 	isServer: true,
 });
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/main/lib/api-client.ts b/apps/desktop/src/main/lib/api-client.ts
index c3c6aa9ea2a..c8b24b647be 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/main/lib/api-client.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/main/lib/api-client.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import type { AppRouter } from "@superset/trpc";
 import { createTRPCClient, httpBatchLink } from "@trpc/client";
+import { env } from "main/env.main";
 import superjson from "superjson";
-import { env } from "../../env";
 import { authService } from "./auth";
 
 /**
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/main/lib/auth/auth-service.ts b/apps/desktop/src/main/lib/auth/auth-service.ts
index 274c498ba06..cb850aac41c 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/main/lib/auth/auth-service.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/main/lib/auth/auth-service.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import { EventEmitter } from "node:events";
 import { TOKEN_CONFIG } from "@superset/shared/constants";
 import { type BrowserWindow, shell } from "electron";
+import { env } from "main/env.main";
 import type { AuthProvider, AuthSession, SignInResult } from "shared/auth";
-import { env } from "../../../env";
 import { pkceStore } from "./pkce";
 import { tokenStorage } from "./token-storage";
 
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/main/lib/auth/deep-link-handler.ts b/apps/desktop/src/main/lib/auth/deep-link-handler.ts
index 3af0368fa7b..08f84517cab 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/main/lib/auth/deep-link-handler.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/main/lib/auth/deep-link-handler.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
+import { env } from "main/env.main";
 import type { AuthSession } from "shared/auth";
 import { PROTOCOL_SCHEMES } from "shared/constants";
-import { env } from "../../../env";
 import { pkceStore } from "./pkce";
 
 /**
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/main/lib/auto-updater.ts b/apps/desktop/src/main/lib/auto-updater.ts
index a77ac78487b..ddd2867e126 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/main/lib/auto-updater.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/main/lib/auto-updater.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { app, type BrowserWindow, dialog } from "electron";
 import { autoUpdater } from "electron-updater";
+import { env } from "main/env.main";
 import { PLATFORM } from "shared/constants";
-import { env } from "../../env";
 
 const UPDATE_CHECK_INTERVAL_MS = 1000 * 60 * 60 * 4; // 4 hours
 const UPDATE_FEED_URL =
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/main/lib/sound-paths.ts b/apps/desktop/src/main/lib/sound-paths.ts
index e914829d1aa..5ae2218dfd2 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/main/lib/sound-paths.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/main/lib/sound-paths.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { existsSync } from "node:fs";
 import { join } from "node:path";
 import { app } from "electron";
-import { env } from "../../env";
+import { env } from "main/env.main";
 
 /**
  * Gets the path to a ringtone sound file.
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/main/lib/terminal-history.ts b/apps/desktop/src/main/lib/terminal-history.ts
index 69e74a6a28c..4ad95e5aace 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/main/lib/terminal-history.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/main/lib/terminal-history.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { createWriteStream, promises as fs, type WriteStream } from "node:fs";
 import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
 import { join } from "node:path";
-import { env } from "../../env";
+import { env } from "main/env.main";
 import { SUPERSET_HOME_DIR } from "./app-environment";
 
 export interface SessionMetadata {
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/env.renderer.ts b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/env.renderer.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e2fe439c95f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/env.renderer.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+/**
+ * Environment variables for the RENDERER PROCESS (browser context).
+ *
+ * These values are injected at BUILD TIME by Vite's `define` in electron.vite.config.ts.
+ * They are NOT read from process.env at runtime - Vite replaces the references with
+ * literal strings during compilation.
+ *
+ * Only import this file in src/renderer/ code - never in main or shared code.
+ *
+ * For main process env vars, use src/main/env.main.ts instead.
+ */
+import { z } from "zod/v4";
+
+const envSchema = z.object({
+	NODE_ENV: z
+		.enum(["development", "production", "test"])
+		.default("development"),
+	NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL: z.url().default("https://api.superset.sh"),
+	NEXT_PUBLIC_WEB_URL: z.url().default("https://app.superset.sh"),
+	NEXT_PUBLIC_POSTHOG_KEY: z.string().optional(),
+	NEXT_PUBLIC_POSTHOG_HOST: z.string().default("https://us.i.posthog.com"),
+});
+
+/**
+ * Build-time environment variables.
+ *
+ * Vite replaces these process.env.* and import.meta.env.* references at build time.
+ * The values are baked into the bundle as string literals.
+ */
+const rawEnv = {
+	// These are replaced by Vite's define at build time
+	NODE_ENV: process.env.NODE_ENV,
+	NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL,
+	NEXT_PUBLIC_WEB_URL: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_WEB_URL,
+	NEXT_PUBLIC_POSTHOG_KEY: import.meta.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_POSTHOG_KEY as
+		| string
+		| undefined,
+	NEXT_PUBLIC_POSTHOG_HOST: import.meta.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_POSTHOG_HOST as
+		| string
+		| undefined,
+};
+
+export const env = envSchema.parse(rawEnv);
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/lib/posthog.ts b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/lib/posthog.ts
index a1b604786fe..9666d86dafa 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/lib/posthog.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/lib/posthog.ts
@@ -1,18 +1,14 @@
 import posthog from "posthog-js/dist/module.full.no-external";
-
-const POSTHOG_KEY = import.meta.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_POSTHOG_KEY as
-	| string
-	| undefined;
+import { env } from "../env.renderer";
 
 export function initPostHog() {
-	if (!POSTHOG_KEY) {
+	if (!env.NEXT_PUBLIC_POSTHOG_KEY) {
 		console.log("[posthog] No key configured, skipping");
 		return;
 	}
 
-	posthog.init(POSTHOG_KEY, {
-		api_host: "https://us.i.posthog.com",
-		ui_host: "https://us.posthog.com",
+	posthog.init(env.NEXT_PUBLIC_POSTHOG_KEY, {
+		api_host: env.NEXT_PUBLIC_POSTHOG_HOST,
 		defaults: "2025-11-30",
 		capture_pageview: false,
 		capture_pageleave: false,
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/shared/constants.ts b/apps/desktop/src/shared/constants.ts
index 66f2cc98fd4..0d6e6de8aed 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/shared/constants.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/shared/constants.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { env } from "../env";
+import { env } from "./env.shared";
 
 export const PLATFORM = {
 	IS_MAC: process.platform === "darwin",
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/shared/env.shared.ts b/apps/desktop/src/shared/env.shared.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..bf9b9448631
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/shared/env.shared.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+/**
+ * Environment variables safe for SHARED CODE (main + renderer).
+ *
+ * This file only accesses individual process.env properties that are:
+ * 1. Defined in Vite's `define` block (replaced at build time for renderer)
+ * 2. Available in main process via actual process.env
+ *
+ * DO NOT spread ...process.env here - that only works in main process.
+ *
+ * For main-process-only env vars (API URLs, etc.), use src/main/env.main.ts
+ * For renderer-only env vars (PostHog, etc.), use src/renderer/env.renderer.ts
+ */
+import { z } from "zod/v4";
+
+const envSchema = z.object({
+	NODE_ENV: z
+		.enum(["development", "production", "test"])
+		.default("development"),
+});
+
+/**
+ * Shared environment variables.
+ *
+ * These work in both main and renderer because Vite's `define` replaces
+ * process.env.NODE_ENV at build time for renderer, while main process
+ * reads the actual value at runtime.
+ */
+export const env = envSchema.parse({
+	NODE_ENV: process.env.NODE_ENV,
+});