diff --git a/src/docker-manager.ts b/src/docker-manager.ts
index 90e13d28..33648876 100644
--- a/src/docker-manager.ts
+++ b/src/docker-manager.ts
@@ -1749,8 +1749,8 @@ export function generateDockerCompose(
     logger.debug('GEMINI_API_KEY set to placeholder value for credential isolation');
     if (!config.geminiApiKey) {
       logger.warn('--enable-api-proxy is active but GEMINI_API_KEY is not set.');
-      logger.warn(`   The api-proxy Gemini listener (port ${API_PROXY_PORTS.GEMINI}) will start in fallback mode and return 503 responses until GEMINI_API_KEY is set.`);
-      logger.warn('   Set GEMINI_API_KEY in the AWF runner environment to enable Gemini credential isolation.');
+      logger.warn(`   The api-proxy Gemini listener (port ${API_PROXY_PORTS.GEMINI}) will return 503 responses until GEMINI_API_KEY is provided.`);
+      logger.warn('   This is expected when Gemini is not being used.');
     }
 
     logger.info('API proxy sidecar enabled - API keys will be held securely in sidecar container');