diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4537db7..d46e993 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -415,7 +415,7 @@ Issues and pull requests are welcome. Two house rules before you send a patch:
 1. **Open an issue first for anything beyond a typo** — this is a small, opinionated tool and the maintainer would rather agree on the shape before you write it.
 2. **Do not break the tests.** `python test_pagination.py` must pass, and new behaviour wants a check added to it.
 
-Please never commit credentials, host names or personal URLs. The repo intentionally ships no default base id, token or chat id.
+Please never commit credentials, host names or personal URLs. The repo ships no base id, token or chat id — `NOCODB_BASE_ID` and `NOCODB_TOKEN` are required settings and the monitor refuses to start (with a clear message) until they are set.
 
 ## Credits
 
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 68c6863..157e0a3 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ services:
     environment:
       NOCODB_URL: ${NOCODB_URL:-http://nocodb:10380}
       NOCODB_TOKEN: ${NOCODB_TOKEN}
-      NOCODB_BASE_ID: ${NOCODB_BASE_ID:-poqw1zjw3hnsk37}
+      NOCODB_BASE_ID: ${NOCODB_BASE_ID}
       TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN: ${TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN}
       TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID: ${TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID}
       TICK_SECONDS: ${TICK_SECONDS:-60}
diff --git a/monitor.py b/monitor.py
index 92d649f..44d73bf 100644
--- a/monitor.py
+++ b/monitor.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ import urllib.request
 # --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #
 NOCODB_URL = os.environ.get("NOCODB_URL", "http://nocodb:10380").rstrip("/")
 NOCODB_TOKEN = os.environ.get("NOCODB_TOKEN", "")
-NOCODB_BASE_ID = os.environ.get("NOCODB_BASE_ID", "poqw1zjw3hnsk37")
+NOCODB_BASE_ID = os.environ.get("NOCODB_BASE_ID", "")
 TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN = os.environ.get("TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN", "")
 TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID = os.environ.get("TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID", "")
 DATA_DIR = os.environ.get("DATA_DIR", "/data")
@@ -866,9 +866,12 @@ def run_tick(listings_tid, settings_tid, ignored_sellers_tid, ignored_keywords_t
 
 
 def main():
-    if not NOCODB_TOKEN:
-        sys.stderr.write("NOCODB_TOKEN not set\n")
-        write_health(False, "NOCODB_TOKEN not set")
+    if not NOCODB_TOKEN or not NOCODB_BASE_ID:
+        missing = ", ".join(n for n, v in (("NOCODB_TOKEN", NOCODB_TOKEN),
+                                          ("NOCODB_BASE_ID", NOCODB_BASE_ID))
+                            if not v)
+        sys.stderr.write(f"{missing} not set\n")
+        write_health(False, f"{missing} not set")
         sys.exit(2)
 
     (listings_tid, settings_tid, ignored_sellers_tid, ignored_keywords_tid,