diff --git a/routstr/core/settings.py b/routstr/core/settings.py
index b3165cc..542aa80 100644
--- a/routstr/core/settings.py
+++ b/routstr/core/settings.py
@@ -337,12 +337,15 @@ class SettingsService:
                     merged_dict.get("cashu_mints", [])
                 )
 
-            # Keep npub consistent with the live nsec. bootstrap_secrets may hold
-            # the decrypted nsec (from the encrypted store) even when neither env
-            # nor the blob carries an nsec/npub; derive from that live value so
-            # initialize never wipes a known public key back to empty, leaving a
-            # private key with no matching npub.
-            if not merged_dict.get("npub") and settings.nsec:
+            # Keep npub consistent with the live nsec. bootstrap_secrets has
+            # already run and holds the single authoritative nsec (decrypted from
+            # the encrypted store, or freshly imported). merged_dict starts from
+            # the env/blob, which may carry a STALE nsec — and therefore a stale
+            # derived npub — after the vault took ownership. Derive from the live
+            # value and OVERRIDE, not just fill: otherwise the node keeps the
+            # vault's private key but announces the old env key's npub (npub is a
+            # pure derivation of nsec, never configured independently of it).
+            if settings.nsec:
                 derived_npub = derive_npub_from_nsec(settings.nsec)
                 if derived_npub:
                     merged_dict["npub"] = derived_npub
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_secret_bootstrap.py b/tests/integration/test_secret_bootstrap.py
index 077a5f7..18899de 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_secret_bootstrap.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_secret_bootstrap.py
@@ -268,6 +268,33 @@ async def test_stale_env_nsec_does_not_override_vault_nsec(
     assert settings.nsec == NSEC_HEX
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_stale_env_nsec_does_not_split_npub_from_vault_nsec(
+    clean_secret_env: None,
+    integration_session: AsyncSession,
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
+) -> None:
+    # As above, the vault owns the nsec while a stale NSEC lingers in env. The
+    # private key correctly comes from the vault, but the npub must too: if
+    # initialize derives the public key from the stale env nsec, the node ends up
+    # with a private key from the vault and a public key from the old env value,
+    # and anything reading settings.npub announces the wrong Nostr identity.
+    expected_npub = derive_npub_from_nsec(NSEC_HEX)
+    stale_npub = derive_npub_from_nsec(STALE_NSEC_HEX)
+    assert expected_npub and stale_npub and expected_npub != stale_npub  # guard
+
+    await set_nsec(integration_session, NSEC_HEX)
+
+    monkeypatch.setenv("NSEC", STALE_NSEC_HEX)
+    await _create_settings_blob(integration_session, {"name": "LegacyNode"})
+
+    await bootstrap_secrets(integration_session)
+    await SettingsService.initialize(integration_session)
+
+    assert settings.nsec == NSEC_HEX
+    assert settings.npub == expected_npub
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_cleared_nsec_stays_cleared_across_reboot(
     clean_secret_env: None,