diff --git a/protocol-testing/README.md b/protocol-testing/README.md
index eaaec15..f680c06 100644
--- a/protocol-testing/README.md
+++ b/protocol-testing/README.md
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ Rust-based integration testing framework for Tycho protocol implementations.
 # Export necessary env vars
 export RPC_URL=..
 export SUBSTREAMS_API_TOKEN=..
-export AUTH_API_KEY=..
 export PROTOCOLS="ethereum-balancer-v2=weighted_legacy_creation ethereum-ekubo-v2"
 
 # Start and show the test logs only
diff --git a/protocol-testing/docker-compose.yaml b/protocol-testing/docker-compose.yaml
index 4467c0a..2db2181 100644
--- a/protocol-testing/docker-compose.yaml
+++ b/protocol-testing/docker-compose.yaml
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ services:
       DATABASE_URL: postgres://postgres:mypassword@db:5432/tycho_indexer_0
       RPC_URL: "${RPC_URL}"
       SUBSTREAMS_API_TOKEN: "${SUBSTREAMS_API_TOKEN}"
-      AUTH_API_KEY: "${AUTH_API_KEY}"
     # PROTOCOLS to test separated by space and with optional filter
     # e.g. "ethereum-balancer-v2=weighted_legacy_creation ethereum-ekubo-v2"
     entrypoint: ["/entrypoint.sh", "${PROTOCOLS}"]
diff --git a/protocol-testing/src/tycho_runner.rs b/protocol-testing/src/tycho_runner.rs
index 84a56ba..cfe6709 100644
--- a/protocol-testing/src/tycho_runner.rs
+++ b/protocol-testing/src/tycho_runner.rs
@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@ impl TychoRunner {
         dotenv().ok();
 
         let mut cmd = Command::new("tycho-indexer");
-        cmd.env("RUST_LOG", std::env::var("RUST_LOG").unwrap_or("tycho_indexer=info".to_string()));
+        cmd.env("RUST_LOG", std::env::var("RUST_LOG").unwrap_or("tycho_indexer=info".to_string()))
+            .env("AUTH_API_KEY", "dummy");
 
         let all_accounts = self.initialized_accounts.clone();
 
@@ -121,6 +122,7 @@ impl TychoRunner {
                     "RUST_LOG",
                     std::env::var("RUST_LOG").unwrap_or("tycho_indexer=info".to_string()),
                 )
+                .env("AUTH_API_KEY", "dummy")
                 .spawn()
                 .expect("Failed to start RPC server");