diff --git a/pkg/cli/production/install/flags.go b/pkg/cli/production/install/flags.go
index 51e9610..6fb0b90 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/production/install/flags.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/production/install/flags.go
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ func ParseFlags(args []string) (*Flags, error) {
 	// Cluster join flags
 	fs.StringVar(&flags.JoinAddress, "join", "", "Join an existing cluster (e.g. 1.2.3.4:7001)")
 	fs.StringVar(&flags.ClusterSecret, "cluster-secret", "", "Cluster secret for IPFS Cluster (required if joining)")
-	fs.StringVar(&flags.SwarmKey, "swarm-key", "", "IPFS Swarm key (required if joining)")
+	fs.StringVar(&flags.SwarmKey, "swarm-key", "", "IPFS Swarm key hex (64 chars, last line of swarm.key)")
 	fs.StringVar(&flags.PeersStr, "peers", "", "Comma-separated list of bootstrap peer multiaddrs")
 
 	// IPFS/Cluster specific info for Peering configuration
diff --git a/pkg/cli/production/install/validator.go b/pkg/cli/production/install/validator.go
index 3a02325..12be366 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/production/install/validator.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/production/install/validator.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/DeBrosOfficial/network/pkg/cli/utils"
+	"github.com/DeBrosOfficial/network/pkg/config/validate"
 	"github.com/DeBrosOfficial/network/pkg/environments/production/installers"
 )
 
@@ -99,8 +100,9 @@ func (v *Validator) SaveSecrets() error {
 		if err := os.MkdirAll(secretsDir, 0755); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to create secrets directory: %w", err)
 		}
-		// Convert 64-hex key to full swarm.key format
-		swarmKeyContent := fmt.Sprintf("/key/swarm/psk/1.0.0/\n/base16/\n%s\n", strings.ToUpper(v.flags.SwarmKey))
+		// Extract hex only (strips headers if user passed full file content)
+		hexKey := strings.ToUpper(validate.ExtractSwarmKeyHex(v.flags.SwarmKey))
+		swarmKeyContent := fmt.Sprintf("/key/swarm/psk/1.0.0/\n/base16/\n%s\n", hexKey)
 		swarmKeyPath := filepath.Join(secretsDir, "swarm.key")
 		if err := os.WriteFile(swarmKeyPath, []byte(swarmKeyContent), 0600); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to save swarm key: %w", err)
diff --git a/pkg/config/validate/validators.go b/pkg/config/validate/validators.go
index 19dc223..8195ec9 100644
--- a/pkg/config/validate/validators.go
+++ b/pkg/config/validate/validators.go
@@ -167,9 +167,26 @@ func ExtractTCPPort(multiaddrStr string) string {
 	return ""
 }
 
+// ExtractSwarmKeyHex extracts just the 64-char hex portion from a swarm key input.
+// Handles both raw hex ("ABCD...") and full file content ("/key/swarm/psk/1.0.0/\n/base16/\nABCD...\n").
+func ExtractSwarmKeyHex(input string) string {
+	input = strings.TrimSpace(input)
+	// If it contains the swarm key header, extract the last non-empty line (the hex)
+	if strings.Contains(input, "/key/swarm/") || strings.Contains(input, "/base16/") {
+		lines := strings.Split(input, "\n")
+		for i := len(lines) - 1; i >= 0; i-- {
+			line := strings.TrimSpace(lines[i])
+			if line != "" && !strings.HasPrefix(line, "/") {
+				return line
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return input
+}
+
 // ValidateSwarmKey validates that a swarm key is 64 hex characters.
 func ValidateSwarmKey(key string) error {
-	key = strings.TrimSpace(key)
+	key = ExtractSwarmKeyHex(key)
 	if len(key) != 64 {
 		return fmt.Errorf("swarm key must be 64 hex characters (32 bytes), got %d", len(key))
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/environments/production/config.go b/pkg/environments/production/config.go
index b224111..a503dec 100644
--- a/pkg/environments/production/config.go
+++ b/pkg/environments/production/config.go
@@ -325,10 +325,25 @@ func (sg *SecretGenerator) EnsureSwarmKey() ([]byte, error) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to set secrets directory permissions: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	// Try to read existing key
+	// Try to read existing key — validate and auto-fix if corrupted (e.g. double headers)
 	if data, err := os.ReadFile(swarmKeyPath); err == nil {
-		if strings.Contains(string(data), "/key/swarm/psk/1.0.0/") {
-			return data, nil
+		content := string(data)
+		if strings.Contains(content, "/key/swarm/psk/1.0.0/") {
+			// Extract hex and rebuild clean file
+			lines := strings.Split(strings.TrimSpace(content), "\n")
+			hexKey := ""
+			for i := len(lines) - 1; i >= 0; i-- {
+				line := strings.TrimSpace(lines[i])
+				if line != "" && !strings.HasPrefix(line, "/") {
+					hexKey = line
+					break
+				}
+			}
+			clean := fmt.Sprintf("/key/swarm/psk/1.0.0/\n/base16/\n%s\n", hexKey)
+			if clean != content {
+				_ = os.WriteFile(swarmKeyPath, []byte(clean), 0600)
+			}
+			return []byte(clean), nil
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/installer/installer.go b/pkg/installer/installer.go
index 60e1c7d..c9d19f2 100644
--- a/pkg/installer/installer.go
+++ b/pkg/installer/installer.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	tea "github.com/charmbracelet/bubbletea"
 
 	"github.com/DeBrosOfficial/network/pkg/config"
+	"github.com/DeBrosOfficial/network/pkg/config/validate"
 	"github.com/DeBrosOfficial/network/pkg/installer/discovery"
 	"github.com/DeBrosOfficial/network/pkg/installer/steps"
 	"github.com/DeBrosOfficial/network/pkg/installer/validation"
@@ -232,7 +233,7 @@ func (m *Model) handleEnter() (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 		m.setupStepInput()
 
 	case StepSwarmKey:
-		swarmKey := strings.TrimSpace(m.textInput.Value())
+		swarmKey := validate.ExtractSwarmKeyHex(m.textInput.Value())
 		if err := config.ValidateSwarmKey(swarmKey); err != nil {
 			m.err = err
 			return m, nil
diff --git a/pkg/installer/steps/swarm_key.go b/pkg/installer/steps/swarm_key.go
index 85711cd..7161ca2 100644
--- a/pkg/installer/steps/swarm_key.go
+++ b/pkg/installer/steps/swarm_key.go
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ func NewSwarmKey() *SwarmKey {
 func (s *SwarmKey) View() string {
 	var sb strings.Builder
 	sb.WriteString(titleStyle.Render("IPFS Swarm Key") + "\n\n")
-	sb.WriteString("Enter the swarm key from an existing node:\n")
-	sb.WriteString(subtitleStyle.Render("Get it with: cat ~/.orama/secrets/swarm.key | tail -1") + "\n\n")
+	sb.WriteString("Enter the hex key from an existing node (last line of swarm.key):\n")
+	sb.WriteString(subtitleStyle.Render("Get it with: tail -1 ~/.orama/secrets/swarm.key") + "\n\n")
 	sb.WriteString(s.Input.View())
 
 	if s.Error != nil {