diff --git a/drb-c2-core/app/internal/mqtt_handler.py b/drb-c2-core/app/internal/mqtt_handler.py
index 1ca97e2..229df34 100644
--- a/drb-c2-core/app/internal/mqtt_handler.py
+++ b/drb-c2-core/app/internal/mqtt_handler.py
@@ -109,6 +109,11 @@ class MQTTHandler:
                 updates["status"] = "online"
             await fstore.doc_update("nodes", node_id, updates)
 
+        # Release any orphaned Discord token when the node explicitly reports disconnected
+        if payload.get("discord_connected") is False:
+            from app.routers.tokens import release_token
+            await release_token(node_id)
+
     # ------------------------------------------------------------------
     # Status update
     # ------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/drb-c2-core/app/internal/node_sweeper.py b/drb-c2-core/app/internal/node_sweeper.py
index f6f51a6..b52a937 100644
--- a/drb-c2-core/app/internal/node_sweeper.py
+++ b/drb-c2-core/app/internal/node_sweeper.py
@@ -53,3 +53,5 @@ async def _sweep():
             node_id = node.get("node_id")
             await fstore.doc_update("nodes", node_id, {"status": "offline"})
             logger.info(f"Node {node_id} marked offline (last seen: {last_seen.isoformat()})")
+            from app.routers.tokens import release_token
+            await release_token(node_id)
diff --git a/drb-c2-core/app/internal/storage.py b/drb-c2-core/app/internal/storage.py
index 3e9290a..a8a7a90 100644
--- a/drb-c2-core/app/internal/storage.py
+++ b/drb-c2-core/app/internal/storage.py
@@ -12,7 +12,10 @@ async def upload_audio(data: bytes, filename: str) -> Optional[str]:
 
     def _upload() -> str:
         from google.cloud import storage
-        client = storage.Client()
+        if settings.gcp_credentials_path:
+            client = storage.Client.from_service_account_json(settings.gcp_credentials_path)
+        else:
+            client = storage.Client()
         bucket = client.bucket(settings.gcs_bucket)
         blob = bucket.blob(f"calls/{filename}")
         blob.upload_from_string(data, content_type="audio/mpeg")