diff --git a/scripts/generate-secrets.mjs b/scripts/generate-secrets.mjs
index ca83954..181bb9e 100644
--- a/scripts/generate-secrets.mjs
+++ b/scripts/generate-secrets.mjs
@@ -18,15 +18,33 @@
  *   pnpm generate-secrets
  */
 
-// web-push is a CommonJS module — import via default then destructure.
-// Resolve from apps/api/node_modules to avoid a root-level dependency.
-import webpush from '../apps/api/node_modules/web-push/src/index.js';
-const { generateVAPIDKeys } = webpush;
-import { randomBytes } from 'node:crypto';
+// IN-03: use Node.js built-in crypto to generate VAPID keys — avoids importing
+// web-push via its private source tree (../apps/api/node_modules/web-push/src/index.js)
+// which breaks if web-push restructures internally or workspace hoisting moves the package.
+// createECDH('prime256v1') + getPublicKey()/getPrivateKey() produces the same
+// base64url-encoded keys as web-push.generateVAPIDKeys().
+import { randomBytes, createECDH } from 'node:crypto';
 
 const sessionSecret = randomBytes(32).toString('hex');
 const encKey = randomBytes(32).toString('hex');
-const vapid = generateVAPIDKeys();
+
+// VAPID key generation (P-256 / prime256v1 — same curve as web-push)
+const ecdhCurve = createECDH('prime256v1');
+ecdhCurve.generateKeys();
+// Pad raw buffers to the expected lengths, matching web-push defensive padding
+// (https://github.com/web-push-libs/web-push/issues/295)
+let pubBuffer = ecdhCurve.getPublicKey();
+let privBuffer = ecdhCurve.getPrivateKey();
+if (privBuffer.length < 32) {
+  privBuffer = Buffer.concat([Buffer.alloc(32 - privBuffer.length), privBuffer]);
+}
+if (pubBuffer.length < 65) {
+  pubBuffer = Buffer.concat([Buffer.alloc(65 - pubBuffer.length), pubBuffer]);
+}
+const vapid = {
+  publicKey: pubBuffer.toString('base64url'),
+  privateKey: privBuffer.toString('base64url'),
+};
 
 console.log(`# FamilySync Bootstrap Secrets — generated ${new Date().toISOString()}
 # Paste into your docker-compose.yml environment block under the 'api' service.