diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 20d9940..f58878d 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 # Admin user seeded on first run (only if no users exist in DB)
 AUTH_USER=admin
 AUTH_PASS=change-me-on-first-login
+# If your password includes "#" and you do not want to quote AUTH_PASS, use base64:
+# AUTH_PASS_B64=Y2hhbmdlLW1lLW9uLWZpcnN0LWxvZ2lu
+# Example: echo -n 'my#password' | base64
 
 # API key for headless/external access (x-api-key header)
 API_KEY=generate-a-random-key
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1b83318..ca9cec1 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ pnpm dev                # http://localhost:3000
 ```
 
 Initial login is seeded from `AUTH_USER` / `AUTH_PASS` on first run.
+If `AUTH_PASS` contains `#`, quote it (e.g. `AUTH_PASS="my#password"`) or use `AUTH_PASS_B64`.
 
 ## Project Status
 
@@ -339,6 +340,7 @@ See [`.env.example`](.env.example) for the complete list. Key variables:
 |----------|----------|-------------|
 | `AUTH_USER` | No | Initial admin username (default: `admin`) |
 | `AUTH_PASS` | No | Initial admin password |
+| `AUTH_PASS_B64` | No | Base64-encoded admin password (overrides `AUTH_PASS` if set) |
 | `API_KEY` | No | API key for headless access |
 | `OPENCLAW_HOME` | Yes* | Path to `.openclaw` directory |
 | `OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_HOST` | No | Gateway host (default: `127.0.0.1`) |
diff --git a/docs/deployment.md b/docs/deployment.md
index ad98b60..feb3a59 100644
--- a/docs/deployment.md
+++ b/docs/deployment.md
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ See `.env.example` for the full list. Key variables:
 |----------|----------|---------|-------------|
 | `AUTH_USER` | Yes | `admin` | Admin username (seeded on first run) |
 | `AUTH_PASS` | Yes | - | Admin password |
+| `AUTH_PASS_B64` | No | - | Base64-encoded admin password (overrides `AUTH_PASS` if set) |
 | `API_KEY` | Yes | - | API key for headless access |
 | `PORT` | No | `3005` (direct) / `3000` (Docker) | Server port |
 | `OPENCLAW_HOME` | No | - | Path to OpenClaw installation |
@@ -99,6 +100,14 @@ rm -rf node_modules
 pnpm install
 ```
 
+### AUTH_PASS with "#" is not working
+
+In dotenv files, `#` starts a comment unless the value is quoted.
+
+Use one of these:
+- `AUTH_PASS="my#password"`
+- `AUTH_PASS_B64=$(echo -n 'my#password' | base64)`
+
 ### "pnpm-lock.yaml not found" during Docker build
 
 If your deployment context omits `pnpm-lock.yaml`, Docker build now falls back to
diff --git a/src/lib/__tests__/db-seed-auth-pass.test.ts b/src/lib/__tests__/db-seed-auth-pass.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0e6ec77
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/__tests__/db-seed-auth-pass.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import { resolveSeedAuthPassword } from '../db'
+
+describe('resolveSeedAuthPassword', () => {
+  it('returns AUTH_PASS when AUTH_PASS_B64 is not set', () => {
+    const password = resolveSeedAuthPassword({ AUTH_PASS: 'plain-secret-123' } as unknown as NodeJS.ProcessEnv)
+    expect(password).toBe('plain-secret-123')
+  })
+
+  it('prefers AUTH_PASS_B64 when present and valid', () => {
+    const encoded = Buffer.from('secret#with#hash', 'utf8').toString('base64')
+    const password = resolveSeedAuthPassword({
+      AUTH_PASS: 'fallback-value',
+      AUTH_PASS_B64: encoded,
+    } as unknown as NodeJS.ProcessEnv)
+    expect(password).toBe('secret#with#hash')
+  })
+
+  it('falls back to AUTH_PASS when AUTH_PASS_B64 is invalid', () => {
+    const password = resolveSeedAuthPassword({
+      AUTH_PASS: 'fallback-value',
+      AUTH_PASS_B64: '%%%not-base64%%%',
+    } as unknown as NodeJS.ProcessEnv)
+    expect(password).toBe('fallback-value')
+  })
+
+  it('returns null when no password env var is set', () => {
+    const password = resolveSeedAuthPassword({} as unknown as NodeJS.ProcessEnv)
+    expect(password).toBeNull()
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/lib/db.ts b/src/lib/db.ts
index 76d5cc7..931ab43 100644
--- a/src/lib/db.ts
+++ b/src/lib/db.ts
@@ -83,6 +83,33 @@ const INSECURE_PASSWORDS = new Set([
   'testpass123',
 ])
 
+export function resolveSeedAuthPassword(env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env): string | null {
+  const b64 = env.AUTH_PASS_B64
+  if (b64 && b64.trim().length > 0) {
+    const normalized = b64.trim()
+    const base64Pattern = /^(?:[A-Za-z0-9+/]{4})*(?:[A-Za-z0-9+/]{2}==|[A-Za-z0-9+/]{3}=)?$/
+    if (!base64Pattern.test(normalized)) {
+      logger.warn('AUTH_PASS_B64 is not valid base64; falling back to AUTH_PASS')
+      return env.AUTH_PASS || null
+    }
+
+    try {
+      const decoded = Buffer.from(normalized, 'base64').toString('utf8')
+      const canonical = Buffer.from(decoded, 'utf8').toString('base64')
+      if (canonical !== normalized) {
+        logger.warn('AUTH_PASS_B64 failed base64 verification; falling back to AUTH_PASS')
+        return env.AUTH_PASS || null
+      }
+      if (decoded.length > 0) return decoded
+      logger.warn('AUTH_PASS_B64 is set but decoded to an empty value; falling back to AUTH_PASS')
+    } catch {
+      logger.warn('AUTH_PASS_B64 is not valid base64; falling back to AUTH_PASS')
+    }
+  }
+
+  return env.AUTH_PASS || null
+}
+
 function seedAdminUserFromEnv(dbConn: Database.Database): void {
   // Skip seeding during `next build` — env vars may not be available yet
   if (process.env.NEXT_PHASE === 'phase-production-build') return
@@ -91,12 +118,12 @@ function seedAdminUserFromEnv(dbConn: Database.Database): void {
   if (count > 0) return
 
   const username = process.env.AUTH_USER || 'admin'
-  const password = process.env.AUTH_PASS
+  const password = resolveSeedAuthPassword()
 
   if (!password) {
     logger.warn(
       'AUTH_PASS is not set — skipping admin user seeding. ' +
-      'Set AUTH_PASS in your .env file to create the initial admin account.'
+      'Set AUTH_PASS (quote values containing #) or AUTH_PASS_B64 in your environment.'
     )
     return
   }