diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 36eb587..8b40b67 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 GO_API_BASE_URL=
 NATS_URL=
+NATS_HOST=
+NATS_PORT=4222
 REDIS_HOST=
 REDIS_PORT=
 REDIS_PASSWORD=
@@ -14,3 +16,10 @@ NATS_PASSWORD=
 ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=
 LLM_MODEL=claude-opus-4-8
 LOG_LEVEL=INFO
+
+# Autonomy gates — outward-facing/irreversible actions are off unless enabled
+DISPATCH_AGENT_AUTONOMOUS=false
+EXPRESS_AGENT_AUTONOMOUS=false
+EXCEPTION_AGENT_AUTONOMOUS=false
+# Re-alert cadence during a failure burst in one zone
+DISPATCH_REALERT_EVERY=100
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 48c7e39..02c974f 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -13,8 +13,12 @@ services:
     container_name: doormile_agents
     restart: unless-stopped
     environment:
-      # NATS — event bus
+      # NATS — event bus. The agents connect with NATS_HOST/NATS_PORT (NATS_URL
+      # is informational), so both must be passed through or every connection
+      # falls back to localhost.
       - NATS_URL=${NATS_URL}
+      - NATS_HOST=${NATS_HOST}
+      - NATS_PORT=${NATS_PORT}
       - NATS_USER=${NATS_USER}
       - NATS_PASSWORD=${NATS_PASSWORD}
       # Redis — GEO queries, miler presence
@@ -33,6 +37,12 @@ services:
       # AI layer — decision engine
       - AI_LAYER_BASE_URL=${AI_LAYER_BASE_URL}
       - ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=${ANTHROPIC_API_KEY}
+      # Agent behaviour. Outward-facing actions stay gated unless explicitly enabled.
+      - DISPATCH_AGENT_AUTONOMOUS=${DISPATCH_AGENT_AUTONOMOUS:-false}
+      - EXPRESS_AGENT_AUTONOMOUS=${EXPRESS_AGENT_AUTONOMOUS:-false}
+      - EXCEPTION_AGENT_AUTONOMOUS=${EXCEPTION_AGENT_AUTONOMOUS:-false}
+      - DISPATCH_REALERT_EVERY=${DISPATCH_REALERT_EVERY:-100}
+      - LLM_MODEL=${LLM_MODEL:-claude-opus-4-8}
       # Logging
       - LOG_LEVEL=${LOG_LEVEL:-INFO}
     volumes: