diff --git a/app.py b/app.py
index ee5ffdf..db5ebbe 100644
--- a/app.py
+++ b/app.py
@@ -980,13 +980,32 @@ print(backup)
     return {"status": "reloaded", "backup": backup}
 
 
+def _normalize_hetzner_dns_token(raw: str) -> str | None:
+    raw = (raw or "").strip()
+    if not raw:
+        return None
+    if raw.isascii() and not any(ch.isspace() for ch in raw) and re.fullmatch(r"[A-Za-z0-9._-]{24,}", raw):
+        return raw
+    candidates = []
+    labelled = re.findall(r"(?is)(?:token|api[ -]?key)[^\n:=]{0,80}(?::|=|\n)\s*([A-Za-z0-9._-]{24,})", raw)
+    candidates.extend(value for value in labelled if value.isascii())
+    for line in raw.splitlines():
+        if "token" not in line.lower() and "api key" not in line.lower() and "api-key" not in line.lower():
+            continue
+        value = re.split(r"[:=]", line, maxsplit=1)[-1].strip().strip("`'\"")
+        if value.isascii() and re.fullmatch(r"[A-Za-z0-9._-]{24,}", value):
+            candidates.append(value)
+    return candidates[0] if len(set(candidates)) == 1 else None
+
+
 def _get_hetzner_dns_token() -> str:
-    token = _read("HETZNER_DNS_TOKEN")
+    token = _normalize_hetzner_dns_token(_read("HETZNER_DNS_TOKEN") or "")
     if token:
         return token
-    aliases = [value for key, value in _vault_cache.items() if "hetzner" in key.lower() and "dns" in key.lower() and value.strip()]
-    if len(aliases) == 1:
-        return aliases[0].strip()
+    aliases = [_normalize_hetzner_dns_token(value) for key, value in _vault_cache.items() if "hetzner" in key.lower() and "dns" in key.lower()]
+    aliases = [value for value in aliases if value]
+    if len(set(aliases)) == 1:
+        return aliases[0]
     rc, _out, err = _ssh(
         "sascha@10.4.1.116",
         "sudo bash /data/stacks/homelab-butler/vault-sync.sh",