diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c5b592599a..7ac8663b68 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -24,6 +24,13 @@ Libp2p.<br>
 
 ### For Developers
 
+At build time the following env vars can be set to override default keys (** and must be set during the release process to override the default keys**. Github Secrets can be used to set these values for the release process):
+
+`FOUNDATION_PK` - The foundation public key to use for the initial disbursement to the foundation.
+`GENESIS_PK` - The genesis spend public key to use for genesis verification.
+`GENESIS_SK` - If building the faucet for the genesis spend, this is the secret key to use for genesis verification. This should be kept secret.
+`NETWORK_ROYALTIES_PK` - The foundation public key to use for receiving network royalties.
+
 - [Client](https://github.com/maidsafe/safe_network/blob/main/sn_client/README.md) The client APIs
   allowing use of the SafeNetwork to users and developers.
 - [Registers](https://github.com/maidsafe/safe_network/blob/main/sn_registers/README.md) The CRDT
@@ -513,8 +520,7 @@ metrics.
 
 ## Contributing
 
-Feel free to clone and modify this project. Pull requests are welcome.<br>You can also visit *
-*[The MaidSafe Forum](https://safenetforum.org/)** for discussion or if you would like to join our
+Feel free to clone and modify this project. Pull requests are welcome.<br>You can also visit \* \*[The MaidSafe Forum](https://safenetforum.org/)\*\* for discussion or if you would like to join our
 online community.
 
 ### Pull Request Process
diff --git a/sn_transfers/src/genesis.rs b/sn_transfers/src/genesis.rs
index eb46cc4967..401e368baf 100644
--- a/sn_transfers/src/genesis.rs
+++ b/sn_transfers/src/genesis.rs
@@ -64,25 +64,24 @@ pub enum Error {
 }
 
 lazy_static! {
-    /// This key is public for auditing purposes.
-    /// The hard coded value is for testing purposes,
-    /// In production a hard-coded PK should be set at build time.
-    /// This allows all nodes to validate it.
-    /// The env set value is only used for testing purpose.
     pub static ref GENESIS_PK: MainPubkey = {
-        let pk_str =  if let Ok(pk_str) = std::env::var("GENESIS_PK") {
-            pk_str
-        }
-        else {
+        let compile_time_key = option_env!("GENESIS_PK").unwrap_or(DEFAULT_LIVE_GENESIS_PK);
+        let runtime_key =
+            std::env::var("GENESIS_PK").unwrap_or_else(|_| compile_time_key.to_string());
+
+        if runtime_key == DEFAULT_LIVE_GENESIS_PK {
             warn!("USING DEFAULT GENESIS SK (9934c2) FOR TESTING PURPOSES! EXPECTING PAIRED SK (23746b) TO BE USED!");
-            DEFAULT_LIVE_GENESIS_PK.to_string()
-        };
+        } else if runtime_key == compile_time_key {
+            warn!("Using compile-time GENESIS_PK: {}", compile_time_key);
+        } else {
+            warn!("Overridden by runtime GENESIS_PK: {}", runtime_key);
+        }
 
-        match MainPubkey::from_hex(pk_str) {
+        match MainPubkey::from_hex(&runtime_key) {
             Ok(pk) => {
                 info!("Genesis PK: {pk:?}");
                 pk
-            },
+            }
             Err(err) => panic!("Failed to parse genesis PK: {err:?}"),
         }
     };
diff --git a/sn_transfers/src/lib.rs b/sn_transfers/src/lib.rs
index 1603cf1c08..2224b0e1c4 100644
--- a/sn_transfers/src/lib.rs
+++ b/sn_transfers/src/lib.rs
@@ -42,35 +42,88 @@ use lazy_static::lazy_static;
 /// The following PKs shall be updated to match its correspondent SKs before the formal release
 ///
 /// Foundation wallet public key (used to receive initial disbursment from the genesis wallet)
-const FOUNDATION_PK_STR: &str = "8f73b97377f30bed96df1c92daf9f21b4a82c862615439fab8095e68860a5d0dff9f97dba5aef503a26c065e5cb3c7ca"; // DevSkim: ignore DS173237
+const DEFAULT_FOUNDATION_PK_STR: &str = "8f73b97377f30bed96df1c92daf9f21b4a82c862615439fab8095e68860a5d0dff9f97dba5aef503a26c065e5cb3c7ca"; // DevSkim: ignore DS173237
 /// Public key where network royalties payments are expected to be made to.
-const NETWORK_ROYALTIES_STR: &str = "b4243ec9ceaec374ef992684cd911b209758c5de53d1e406b395bc37ebc8ce50e68755ea6d32da480ae927e1af4ddadb"; // DevSkim: ignore DS173237
+const DEFAULT_NETWORK_ROYALTIES_STR: &str = "b4243ec9ceaec374ef992684cd911b209758c5de53d1e406b395bc37ebc8ce50e68755ea6d32da480ae927e1af4ddadb"; // DevSkim: ignore DS173237
 /// Public key where payment forward to be targeted.
-const PAYMENT_FORWARD_STR: &str = "a585839f0502713a0ed6a327f3bd0c301f9e8fe298c93dd00ed7869d8e6804244f0d3014e90df45cd344a7ccd702865c"; // DevSkim: ignore DS173237
+const DEFAULT_PAYMENT_FORWARD_STR: &str = "a585839f0502713a0ed6a327f3bd0c301f9e8fe298c93dd00ed7869d8e6804244f0d3014e90df45cd344a7ccd702865c"; // DevSkim: ignore DS173237
 
 lazy_static! {
     pub static ref FOUNDATION_PK: MainPubkey = {
-        match MainPubkey::from_hex(FOUNDATION_PK_STR) {
+        let compile_time_key = option_env!("FOUNDATION_PK").unwrap_or(DEFAULT_FOUNDATION_PK_STR);
+        let runtime_key =
+            std::env::var("FOUNDATION_PK").unwrap_or_else(|_| compile_time_key.to_string());
+
+        if runtime_key == DEFAULT_FOUNDATION_PK_STR {
+            warn!("Using default FOUNDATION_PK: {}", DEFAULT_FOUNDATION_PK_STR);
+        } else if runtime_key == compile_time_key {
+            warn!("Using compile-time FOUNDATION_PK: {}", compile_time_key);
+        } else {
+            warn!("Overridden by runtime FOUNDATION_PK: {}", runtime_key);
+        }
+
+        match MainPubkey::from_hex(&runtime_key) {
             Ok(pk) => pk,
-            Err(err) => panic!("Failed to parse hard-coded foundation PK: {err:?}"),
+            Err(err) => panic!("Failed to parse foundation PK: {err:?}"),
         }
     };
 }
 
 lazy_static! {
     pub static ref NETWORK_ROYALTIES_PK: MainPubkey = {
-        match MainPubkey::from_hex(NETWORK_ROYALTIES_STR) {
+        let compile_time_key =
+            option_env!("NETWORK_ROYALTIES_PK").unwrap_or(DEFAULT_NETWORK_ROYALTIES_STR);
+        let runtime_key =
+            std::env::var("NETWORK_ROYALTIES_PK").unwrap_or_else(|_| compile_time_key.to_string());
+
+        if runtime_key == DEFAULT_NETWORK_ROYALTIES_STR {
+            warn!(
+                "Using default NETWORK_ROYALTIES_PK: {}",
+                DEFAULT_NETWORK_ROYALTIES_STR
+            );
+        } else if runtime_key == compile_time_key {
+            warn!(
+                "Using compile-time NETWORK_ROYALTIES_PK: {}",
+                compile_time_key
+            );
+        } else {
+            warn!(
+                "Overridden by runtime NETWORK_ROYALTIES_PK: {}",
+                runtime_key
+            );
+        }
+
+        match MainPubkey::from_hex(&runtime_key) {
             Ok(pk) => pk,
-            Err(err) => panic!("Failed to parse hard-coded network royalty PK: {err:?}"),
+            Err(err) => panic!("Failed to parse network royalties PK: {err:?}"),
         }
     };
 }
 
 lazy_static! {
     pub static ref PAYMENT_FORWARD_PK: MainPubkey = {
-        match MainPubkey::from_hex(PAYMENT_FORWARD_STR) {
+        let compile_time_key =
+            option_env!("PAYMENT_FORWARD_PK").unwrap_or(DEFAULT_PAYMENT_FORWARD_STR);
+        let runtime_key =
+            std::env::var("PAYMENT_FORWARD_PK").unwrap_or_else(|_| compile_time_key.to_string());
+
+        if runtime_key == DEFAULT_PAYMENT_FORWARD_STR {
+            warn!(
+                "Using default PAYMENT_FORWARD_PK: {}",
+                DEFAULT_PAYMENT_FORWARD_STR
+            );
+        } else if runtime_key == compile_time_key {
+            warn!(
+                "Using compile-time PAYMENT_FORWARD_PK: {}",
+                compile_time_key
+            );
+        } else {
+            warn!("Overridden by runtime PAYMENT_FORWARD_PK: {}", runtime_key);
+        }
+
+        match MainPubkey::from_hex(&runtime_key) {
             Ok(pk) => pk,
-            Err(err) => panic!("Failed to parse hard-coded payment forward PK: {err:?}"),
+            Err(err) => panic!("Failed to parse payment forward PK: {err:?}"),
         }
     };
 }