diff --git a/modules/umami/client.ts b/modules/umami/client.ts
index 4ef410c..17fea1e 100644
--- a/modules/umami/client.ts
+++ b/modules/umami/client.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,18 @@
 // changes when umami's API does (novox/hq ADR 0039). Both this module's tools and its provisioner
 // import it; nothing outside umami does.
 
+import { readFileSync } from "node:fs";
+
+/** Read a secret from the file the mesh mounted it at, if the pointing env is set. */
+function readSecret(path: string | undefined): string | undefined {
+  if (!path) return undefined;
+  try {
+    return readFileSync(path, "utf8").trim() || undefined;
+  } catch {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+}
+
 export interface Website {
   id: string;
   name: string;
@@ -23,7 +35,7 @@ export class UmamiClient {
   static fromEnv(env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env): UmamiClient {
     const url = env.MESH_PROVISION_UMAMI_URL ?? env.UMAMI_URL;
     const username = env.UMAMI_USERNAME ?? "admin";
-    const password = env.UMAMI_ADMIN_PASSWORD;
+    const password = readSecret(env.MESH_UMAMI_ADMIN_PASSWORD_FILE) ?? env.UMAMI_ADMIN_PASSWORD;
     if (!url || !password) {
       throw new Error("UMAMI url or admin password is not set — umami's own code cannot reach it");
     }
diff --git a/modules/umami/module.json b/modules/umami/module.json
index e18e025..a9bd185 100644
--- a/modules/umami/module.json
+++ b/modules/umami/module.json
@@ -110,7 +110,8 @@
       ],
       "env": {
         "MESH_BROKER_FILE": "/run/secrets/broker",
-        "MESH_RECEIVES": "/var/lib/umami/grants/mesh.json"
+        "MESH_RECEIVES": "/var/lib/umami/grants/mesh.json",
+        "MESH_UMAMI_ADMIN_PASSWORD_FILE": "/run/secrets/admin"
       },
       "env-file": [
         "/var/lib/umami/provisioner.env"