1.29.0 docker image: VAULTWARDEN_ADMIN_TOKEN vs ADMIN_TOKEN #1526

New Issue

MrUnknownDE · 2026-04-06T01:59:01+02:00

MrUnknownDE commented

2026-04-06 01:59:01 +02:00

Originally created by @gStart9 on 7/19/2023

Subject of the issue

1.29.0 docker image: VAULTWARDEN_ADMIN_TOKEN vs ADMIN_TOKEN

Deployment environment

vaultwarden version:

Docker vaultwarden/server:1.29.0

Install method: Docker image image:

FROM vaultwarden/server:1.29.0

Clients used:

browser: FF115

Reverse proxy and version:

nginx version: nginx/1.18.0

Other relevant details:

I have read https://github.com/dani-garcia/vaultwarden/wiki/Enabling-admin-page#secure-the-admin_token but no matter what I do, if I've included ADMIN_TOKEN= in my .env file, like:
ADMIN_TOKEN=$argon2id$v=19$m=65540,t=3,p=4$MW84Wi9HakowU2c2UjRCYXduNGZUMlpUeS92SXV2eDk3MFgwaTBvNE5UST0$VCMT5AbHh0evoz9fyJEcdXgjRbGTCfyIzYSXz7s42qE

Then when I startup Vaultwarden, the log complains that I don't have a secure password:

2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00  /--------------------------------------------------------------------\
2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00  |                        Starting Vaultwarden                        |
2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00  |                           Version 1.29.0                           |
2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00  |--------------------------------------------------------------------|
2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00  | This is an *unofficial* Bitwarden implementation, DO NOT use the   |
2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00  | official channels to report bugs/features, regardless of client.   |
2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00  | Send usage/configuration questions or feature requests to:         |
2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00  |   https://github.com/dani-garcia/vaultwarden/discussions or        |
2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00  |   https://vaultwarden.discourse.group/                             |
2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00  | Report suspected bugs/issues in the software itself at:            |
2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00  |   https://github.com/dani-garcia/vaultwarden/issues/new            |
2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00  \--------------------------------------------------------------------/
2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00  
2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00  [INFO] Using environment file `.env` for configuration.
2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00  
2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00  [NOTICE] You are using a plain text `ADMIN_TOKEN` which is insecure.
2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00  Please generate a secure Argon2 PHC string by using `vaultwarden hash` or `argon2`.
2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00  See: https://github.com/dani-garcia/vaultwarden/wiki/Enabling-admin-page#secure-the-admin_token
2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00  
2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00  [2023-07-19 19:29:05.476][start][INFO] Rocket has launched from http://0.0.0.0:80

But I am able to access /admin/

However, if, in order to get rid of the nasty log message, I use only VAULTWARDEN_ADMIN_TOKEN in .env, as such:
VAULTWARDEN_ADMIN_TOKEN=$argon2id$v=19$m=65540,t=3,p=4$MW84Wi9HakowU2c2UjRCYXduNGZUMlpUeS92SXV2eDk3MFgwaTBvNE5UST0$VCMT5AbHh0evoz9fyJEcdXgjRbGTCfyIzYSXz7s42qE

Then the log is clean on startup but a request to access /admin/ results in the following response:
<pre>The admin panel is disabled, please configure the 'ADMIN_TOKEN' variable to enable it</pre>

It seems I can only use ADMIN_TOKEN if I want /admin/ to be available, yet Vaultwarden still thinks it's insecure even though I'm using the $argon2id$... format.
VAULTWARDEN_ADMIN_TOKEN being set correctly in .env does not make /admin/ available.

Steps to reproduce

We package vaultwarden for Start9's personal servers here so it's kind of a custom docker setup but I believe you can reproduce this if you simply:
Use 1.29.0 docker image and put either ADMIN_TOKEN or VAULTWARDEN_ADMIN_TOKEN only into .env

Expected behaviour

After reading this: https://github.com/dani-garcia/vaultwarden/wiki/Enabling-admin-page#secure-the-admin_token
I expected setting VAULTWARDEN_ADMIN_TOKEN was a valid way to have /admin/ work.

Alternatively, after setting this in .env:
ADMIN_TOKEN=$argon2id$v=19$m=65540,t=3,p=4$MW84Wi9HakowU2c2UjRCYXduNGZUMlpUeS92SXV2eDk3MFgwaTBvNE5UST0$VCMT5AbHh0evoz9fyJEcdXgjRbGTCfyIzYSXz7s42qE
... I expected vaultwarden to not complain in the log that my token is still insecure.

Actual behaviour

Described above

*Originally created by @gStart9 on 7/19/2023* ### Subject of the issue 1.29.0 docker image: VAULTWARDEN_ADMIN_TOKEN vs ADMIN_TOKEN ### Deployment environment * vaultwarden version: > Docker vaultwarden/server:1.29.0 * Install method: Docker image image: > FROM vaultwarden/server:1.29.0 * Clients used: > browser: FF115 * Reverse proxy and version: > nginx version: nginx/1.18.0 * Other relevant details: > I have read https://github.com/dani-garcia/vaultwarden/wiki/Enabling-admin-page#secure-the-admin_token but no matter what I do, if I've included ADMIN_TOKEN= in my .env file, like: ADMIN_TOKEN=$argon2id$v=19$m=65540,t=3,p=4$MW84Wi9HakowU2c2UjRCYXduNGZUMlpUeS92SXV2eDk3MFgwaTBvNE5UST0$VCMT5AbHh0evoz9fyJEcdXgjRbGTCfyIzYSXz7s42qE Then when I startup Vaultwarden, the log complains that I don't have a secure password: ``` 2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00 /--------------------------------------------------------------------\ 2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00 | Starting Vaultwarden | 2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00 | Version 1.29.0 | 2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00 |--------------------------------------------------------------------| 2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00 | This is an *unofficial* Bitwarden implementation, DO NOT use the | 2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00 | official channels to report bugs/features, regardless of client. | 2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00 | Send usage/configuration questions or feature requests to: | 2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00 | https://github.com/dani-garcia/vaultwarden/discussions or | 2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00 | https://vaultwarden.discourse.group/ | 2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00 | Report suspected bugs/issues in the software itself at: | 2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00 | https://github.com/dani-garcia/vaultwarden/issues/new | 2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00 \--------------------------------------------------------------------/ 2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00 2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00 [INFO] Using environment file `.env` for configuration. 2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00 2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00 [NOTICE] You are using a plain text `ADMIN_TOKEN` which is insecure. 2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00 Please generate a secure Argon2 PHC string by using `vaultwarden hash` or `argon2`. 2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00 See: https://github.com/dani-garcia/vaultwarden/wiki/Enabling-admin-page#secure-the-admin_token 2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00 2023-07-19T19:29:05+00:00 [2023-07-19 19:29:05.476][start][INFO] Rocket has launched from http://0.0.0.0:80 ``` But I am able to access /admin/ However, if, in order to get rid of the nasty log message, I use only VAULTWARDEN_ADMIN_TOKEN in .env, as such: VAULTWARDEN_ADMIN_TOKEN=$argon2id$v=19$m=65540,t=3,p=4$MW84Wi9HakowU2c2UjRCYXduNGZUMlpUeS92SXV2eDk3MFgwaTBvNE5UST0$VCMT5AbHh0evoz9fyJEcdXgjRbGTCfyIzYSXz7s42qE Then the log is clean on startup but a request to access /admin/ results in the following response: `<pre>The admin panel is disabled, please configure the 'ADMIN_TOKEN' variable to enable it</pre>` It seems I can only use ADMIN_TOKEN if I want /admin/ to be available, yet Vaultwarden still thinks it's insecure even though I'm using the `$argon2id$...` format. VAULTWARDEN_ADMIN_TOKEN being set correctly in .env does not make /admin/ available. ### Steps to reproduce We package vaultwarden for Start9's personal servers [here](https://github.com/Start9Labs/vaultwarden-wrapper/) so it's kind of a custom docker setup but I believe you can reproduce this if you simply: Use 1.29.0 docker image and put either ADMIN_TOKEN or VAULTWARDEN_ADMIN_TOKEN only into .env ### Expected behaviour After reading this: https://github.com/dani-garcia/vaultwarden/wiki/Enabling-admin-page#secure-the-admin_token I expected setting VAULTWARDEN_ADMIN_TOKEN was a valid way to have /admin/ work. Alternatively, after setting this in .env: `ADMIN_TOKEN=$argon2id$v=19$m=65540,t=3,p=4$MW84Wi9HakowU2c2UjRCYXduNGZUMlpUeS92SXV2eDk3MFgwaTBvNE5UST0$VCMT5AbHh0evoz9fyJEcdXgjRbGTCfyIzYSXz7s42qE` ... I expected vaultwarden to not complain in the log that my token is still insecure. ### Actual behaviour Described above

MrUnknownDE closed this issue

2026-04-06 01:59:01 +02:00

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Reference: github/vaultwarden#1526