diff --git a/src/cli.rs b/src/cli.rs
index 0fca674..c38b137 100644
--- a/src/cli.rs
+++ b/src/cli.rs
@@ -40,10 +40,7 @@ use clap::{Parser, Subcommand};
 use mostro_core::prelude::*;
 use nostr_sdk::prelude::*;
 use sqlx::SqlitePool;
-use std::{
-    env::{set_var, var},
-    str::FromStr,
-};
+use std::{env::set_var, str::FromStr};
 use take_dispute::*;
 use uuid::Uuid;
 
@@ -315,7 +312,6 @@ fn get_env_var(cli: &Cli) {
     if let Some(ref mostro_pubkey) = cli.mostropubkey {
         set_var("MOSTRO_PUBKEY", mostro_pubkey.clone());
     }
-    let _pubkey = var("MOSTRO_PUBKEY").expect("$MOSTRO_PUBKEY env var needs to be set");
 
     if let Some(ref relays) = cli.relays {
         set_var("RELAYS", relays.clone());
@@ -374,6 +370,20 @@ pub async fn run() -> Result<()> {
     Ok(())
 }
 
+fn resolve_mostro_pubkey(cli: &Cli) -> Result<String> {
+    cli.mostropubkey
+        .clone()
+        .or_else(|| std::env::var("MOSTRO_PUBKEY").ok())
+        .ok_or_else(|| {
+            anyhow::anyhow!(
+                "MOSTRO_PUBKEY not set.\n\
+             Provide it using one of the following methods:\n\
+             1) --mostropubkey <npub>\n\
+             2) export MOSTRO_PUBKEY=<npub>"
+            )
+        })
+}
+
 async fn init_context(cli: &Cli) -> Result<Context> {
     // Get environment variables
     get_env_var(cli);
@@ -407,10 +417,8 @@ async fn init_context(cli: &Cli) -> Result<Context> {
     };
 
     // Resolve Mostro pubkey from env (required for all flows)
-    let mostro_pubkey = PublicKey::from_str(
-        &std::env::var("MOSTRO_PUBKEY")
-            .map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("Failed to get MOSTRO_PUBKEY: {}", e))?,
-    )?;
+
+    let mostro_pubkey = PublicKey::from_str(&resolve_mostro_pubkey(cli)?)?;
 
     // Connect to Nostr relays
     let client = util::connect_nostr().await?;