diff --git a/sensor/config/.env.template b/sensor/config/.env.template
index 09bcbb74..05701a88 100644
--- a/sensor/config/.env.template
+++ b/sensor/config/.env.template
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # and are not configurable via the server but only via
 # direct (terminal) access
 
-HARDWARE_LOCKFILE_PATH=""
+HERMES_HARDWARE_LOCKFILE_PATH=""
 
 HERMES_MQTT_IDENTIFIER="..."
 HERMES_MQTT_URL="..."
diff --git a/sensor/run_automation.py b/sensor/run_automation.py
index 59fe6ce3..981fa5d2 100644
--- a/sensor/run_automation.py
+++ b/sensor/run_automation.py
@@ -7,7 +7,42 @@
 ROOT_DIR = dirname(dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
 PROJECT_DIR = dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
 
+
+# Modifies the dotenv file to add the prefix "HERMES_" to all keys that don't have it,
+# while also preserving the original keys
+def update_dotenv(dotenv_path: str) -> None:
+    # skip if dotenv doesn't exist
+    if not os.path.exists(dotenv_path):
+        return
+
+    with open(dotenv_path, "r") as file:
+        # read all lines
+        data = file.readlines()
+
+        hermes_vars = [line for line in data if line.strip().startswith("HERMES_")]
+
+        new_file = []
+        # add the prefix "HERMES_" to all keys that don't have it
+        for i, line in enumerate(data):
+            if line.strip() and not line.endswith("\n"):
+                line += "\n"
+
+            new_file.append(line)
+            if line.startswith("HERMES_"):
+                continue
+            # skip lines with whitespace or comments
+            if not line.strip() or line.strip().startswith("#"):
+                continue
+
+            if not ("HERMES_" + line) in hermes_vars:
+                new_file.append("HERMES_" + line)
+
+    with open(dotenv_path, "w") as file:
+        file.writelines(new_file)
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
+    update_dotenv(os.path.join(PROJECT_DIR, "config", ".env"))
     dotenv.load_dotenv(os.path.join(PROJECT_DIR, "config", ".env"))
     lock = filelock.FileLock(os.path.join(ROOT_DIR, "run_automation.lock"), timeout=2)
 
@@ -16,3 +51,6 @@
             main.run()
     except filelock.Timeout:
         raise TimeoutError("automation is already running")
+
+
+
diff --git a/sensor/src/hardware/__init__.py b/sensor/src/hardware/__init__.py
index f13b11df..6e8452e2 100644
--- a/sensor/src/hardware/__init__.py
+++ b/sensor/src/hardware/__init__.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ def __init__(
             testing: bool = False,
     ) -> None:
         global_hw_lock["lock"] = filelock.FileLock(
-            os.environ.get("HARDWARE_LOCKFILE_PATH") or "/home/pi/Documents/hermes/hermes-hardware.lock",
+            os.environ.get("HERMES_HARDWARE_LOCKFILE_PATH") or "/home/pi/Documents/hermes/hermes-hardware.lock",
             timeout=5
         )
         self.config = config
diff --git a/server/.env.example b/server/.env.example
index b8dadf4a..c55fee7f 100644
--- a/server/.env.example
+++ b/server/.env.example
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
-ENVIRONMENT=production
+HERMES_ENVIRONMENT=production
 
 # PostgreSQL credentials
-POSTGRESQL_URL=www.example.com
-POSTGRESQL_PORT=5432
-POSTGRESQL_IDENTIFIER=username
-POSTGRESQL_PASSWORD=12345678
-POSTGRESQL_DATABASE=database
+HERMES_POSTGRESQL_URL=www.example.com
+HERMES_POSTGRESQL_PORT=5432
+HERMES_POSTGRESQL_IDENTIFIER=username
+HERMES_POSTGRESQL_PASSWORD=12345678
+HERMES_POSTGRESQL_DATABASE=database
 
 # MQTT credentials
-MQTT_URL=www.example.com
-MQTT_PORT=8883
-MQTT_IDENTIFIER=username
-MQTT_PASSWORD=12345678
+HERMES_MQTT_URL=www.example.com
+HERMES_MQTT_PORT=8883
+HERMES_MQTT_IDENTIFIER=username
+HERMES_MQTT_PASSWORD=12345678
diff --git a/server/Dockerfile b/server/Dockerfile
index a9e27e5a..8a7fa832 100644
--- a/server/Dockerfile
+++ b/server/Dockerfile
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ EXPOSE 8000
 # Read commit hash and branch name as build arguments
 ARG commit_sha branch_name
 LABEL commit_sha=${commit_sha} branch_name=${branch_name}
-ENV COMMIT_SHA=${commit_sha} BRANCH_NAME=${branch_name}
+ENV HERMES_COMMIT_SHA=${commit_sha} HERMES_BRANCH_NAME=${branch_name}
 
 COPY /app /app
 
diff --git a/server/app/settings.py b/server/app/settings.py
index 126ddf77..d682a62e 100644
--- a/server/app/settings.py
+++ b/server/app/settings.py
@@ -4,23 +4,23 @@
 
 
 # Environment: test, development, production
-ENVIRONMENT = os.environ["ENVIRONMENT"]
+ENVIRONMENT = os.environ["HERMES_ENVIRONMENT"]
 # Git commit hash
-COMMIT_SHA = os.environ["COMMIT_SHA"]
+COMMIT_SHA = os.environ["HERMES_COMMIT_SHA"]
 # Git branch name
-BRANCH_NAME = os.environ["BRANCH_NAME"]
+BRANCH_NAME = os.environ["HERMES_BRANCH_NAME"]
 # Timestamp of server startup
 START_TIMESTAMP = utils.timestamp()
 
 # PostgreSQL connection details
-POSTGRESQL_URL = os.environ["POSTGRESQL_URL"]
-POSTGRESQL_PORT = int(os.environ["POSTGRESQL_PORT"])
-POSTGRESQL_IDENTIFIER = os.environ["POSTGRESQL_IDENTIFIER"]
-POSTGRESQL_PASSWORD = os.environ["POSTGRESQL_PASSWORD"]
-POSTGRESQL_DATABASE = os.environ["POSTGRESQL_DATABASE"]
+POSTGRESQL_URL = os.environ["HERMES_POSTGRESQL_URL"]
+POSTGRESQL_PORT = int(os.environ["HERMES_POSTGRESQL_PORT"])
+POSTGRESQL_IDENTIFIER = os.environ["HERMES_POSTGRESQL_IDENTIFIER"]
+POSTGRESQL_PASSWORD = os.environ["HERMES_POSTGRESQL_PASSWORD"]
+POSTGRESQL_DATABASE = os.environ["HERMES_POSTGRESQL_DATABASE"]
 
 # MQTT connection details
-MQTT_URL = os.environ["MQTT_URL"]
-MQTT_PORT = int(os.environ["MQTT_PORT"])
-MQTT_IDENTIFIER = os.environ["MQTT_IDENTIFIER"]
-MQTT_PASSWORD = os.environ["MQTT_PASSWORD"]
+MQTT_URL = os.environ["HERMES_MQTT_URL"]
+MQTT_PORT = int(os.environ["HERMES_MQTT_PORT"])
+MQTT_IDENTIFIER = os.environ["HERMES_MQTT_IDENTIFIER"]
+MQTT_PASSWORD = os.environ["HERMES_MQTT_PASSWORD"]
diff --git a/server/scripts/develop b/server/scripts/develop
index c7374956..7f52c7d4 100755
--- a/server/scripts/develop
+++ b/server/scripts/develop
@@ -6,26 +6,26 @@ set -o errexit -o pipefail -o nounset
 cd "$(dirname "$0")/.."
 
 # Set our environment variables
-export ENVIRONMENT="development"
-export COMMIT_SHA=$(git rev-parse --verify HEAD)
-export BRANCH_NAME=$(git branch --show-current)
-export POSTGRESQL_URL="localhost"
-export POSTGRESQL_PORT="5432"
-export POSTGRESQL_IDENTIFIER="postgres"
-export POSTGRESQL_PASSWORD="12345678"
-export POSTGRESQL_DATABASE="database"
-export MQTT_URL="localhost"
-export MQTT_PORT="1883"
-export MQTT_IDENTIFIER="server"
-export MQTT_PASSWORD="password"
+export HERMES_ENVIRONMENT="development"
+export HERMES_COMMIT_SHA=$(git rev-parse --verify HEAD)
+export HERMES_BRANCH_NAME=$(git branch --show-current)
+export HERMES_POSTGRESQL_URL="localhost"
+export HERMES_POSTGRESQL_PORT="5432"
+export HERMES_POSTGRESQL_IDENTIFIER="postgres"
+export HERMES_POSTGRESQL_PASSWORD="12345678"
+export HERMES_POSTGRESQL_DATABASE="database"
+export HERMES_MQTT_URL="localhost"
+export HERMES_MQTT_PORT="1883"
+export HERMES_MQTT_IDENTIFIER="server"
+export HERMES_MQTT_PASSWORD="password"
 
 # Path to our Mosquitto configuation
-MOSQUITTO_CONFIGURATION="$(pwd)/tests/mosquitto.conf"
+HERMES_MOSQUITTO_CONFIGURATION="$(pwd)/tests/mosquitto.conf"
 
 # Start PostgreSQL via docker in the background
-docker run -td --rm --name postgres -p 127.0.0.1:5432:5432 -e POSTGRES_USER="${POSTGRESQL_IDENTIFIER}" -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD="${POSTGRESQL_PASSWORD}" -e POSTGRES_DB="${POSTGRESQL_DATABASE}" timescale/timescaledb:latest-pg15 >/dev/null
+docker run -td --rm --name postgres -p 127.0.0.1:5432:5432 -e POSTGRES_USER="${HERMES_POSTGRESQL_IDENTIFIER}" -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD="${HERMES_POSTGRESQL_PASSWORD}" -e POSTGRES_DB="${HERMES_POSTGRESQL_DATABASE}" timescale/timescaledb:latest-pg15 >/dev/null
 # Start the Mosquitto MQTT broker via docker in the background
-docker run -td --rm --name mosquitto -p 127.0.0.1:1883:1883 -v "${MOSQUITTO_CONFIGURATION}:/mosquitto/config/mosquitto.conf" eclipse-mosquitto:latest >/dev/null
+docker run -td --rm --name mosquitto -p 127.0.0.1:1883:1883 -v "${HERMES_MOSQUITTO_CONFIGURATION}:/mosquitto/config/mosquitto.conf" eclipse-mosquitto:latest >/dev/null
 # Wait for services to be ready
 sleep 4
 # Run the database initialization script
diff --git a/server/scripts/jupyter b/server/scripts/jupyter
index fbe39578..7ca7dc6d 100755
--- a/server/scripts/jupyter
+++ b/server/scripts/jupyter
@@ -6,18 +6,18 @@ set -o errexit -o pipefail -o nounset
 cd "$(dirname "$0")/.."
 
 # Set our environment variables
-export ENVIRONMENT="development"
-export COMMIT_SHA=$(git rev-parse --verify HEAD)
-export BRANCH_NAME=$(git branch --show-current)
-export POSTGRESQL_URL="localhost"
-export POSTGRESQL_PORT="5432"
-export POSTGRESQL_IDENTIFIER="postgres"
-export POSTGRESQL_PASSWORD="12345678"
-export POSTGRESQL_DATABASE="database"
-export MQTT_URL="localhost"
-export MQTT_PORT="1883"
-export MQTT_IDENTIFIER="server"
-export MQTT_PASSWORD="password"
+export HERMES_ENVIRONMENT="development"
+export HERMES_COMMIT_SHA=$(git rev-parse --verify HEAD)
+export HERMES_BRANCH_NAME=$(git branch --show-current)
+export HERMES_POSTGRESQL_URL="localhost"
+export HERMES_POSTGRESQL_PORT="5432"
+export HERMES_POSTGRESQL_IDENTIFIER="postgres"
+export HERMES_POSTGRESQL_PASSWORD="12345678"
+export HERMES_POSTGRESQL_DATABASE="database"
+export HERMES_MQTT_URL="localhost"
+export HERMES_MQTT_PORT="1883"
+export HERMES_MQTT_IDENTIFIER="server"
+export HERMES_MQTT_PASSWORD="password"
 
 # Enable importing local modules
 export PYTHONPATH=$(pwd)
diff --git a/server/scripts/test b/server/scripts/test
index 9214218a..c688591d 100755
--- a/server/scripts/test
+++ b/server/scripts/test
@@ -6,24 +6,24 @@ set -o errexit -o pipefail -o nounset
 cd "$(dirname "$0")/.."
 
 # Set our environment variables
-export ENVIRONMENT="test"
-export COMMIT_SHA=$(git rev-parse --verify HEAD)
-export BRANCH_NAME=$(git branch --show-current)
-export POSTGRESQL_URL="localhost"
-export POSTGRESQL_PORT="5432"
-export POSTGRESQL_IDENTIFIER="postgres"
-export POSTGRESQL_PASSWORD="12345678"
-export POSTGRESQL_DATABASE="database"
-export MQTT_URL="localhost"
-export MQTT_PORT="1883"
-export MQTT_IDENTIFIER="server"
-export MQTT_PASSWORD="password"
+export HERMES_ENVIRONMENT="test"
+export HERMES_COMMIT_SHA=$(git rev-parse --verify HEAD)
+export HERMES_BRANCH_NAME=$(git branch --show-current)
+export HERMES_POSTGRESQL_URL="localhost"
+export HERMES_POSTGRESQL_PORT="5432"
+export HERMES_POSTGRESQL_IDENTIFIER="postgres"
+export HERMES_POSTGRESQL_PASSWORD="12345678"
+export HERMES_POSTGRESQL_DATABASE="database"
+export HERMES_MQTT_URL="localhost"
+export HERMES_MQTT_PORT="1883"
+export HERMES_MQTT_IDENTIFIER="server"
+export HERMES_MQTT_PASSWORD="password"
 
 # Path to our Mosquitto configuation
 MOSQUITTO_CONFIGURATION="$(pwd)/tests/mosquitto.conf"
 
 # Start PostgreSQL via docker in the background
-docker run -td --rm --name postgres -p 127.0.0.1:5432:5432 -e POSTGRES_USER="${POSTGRESQL_IDENTIFIER}" -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD="${POSTGRESQL_PASSWORD}" -e POSTGRES_DB="${POSTGRESQL_DATABASE}" timescale/timescaledb:latest-pg15 >/dev/null
+docker run -td --rm --name postgres -p 127.0.0.1:5432:5432 -e POSTGRES_USER="${HERMES_POSTGRESQL_IDENTIFIER}" -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD="${HERMES_POSTGRESQL_PASSWORD}" -e POSTGRES_DB="${HERMES_POSTGRESQL_DATABASE}" timescale/timescaledb:latest-pg15 >/dev/null
 # Start the Mosquitto MQTT broker via docker in the background
 docker run -td --rm --name mosquitto -p 127.0.0.1:1883:1883 -v "${MOSQUITTO_CONFIGURATION}:/mosquitto/config/mosquitto.conf" eclipse-mosquitto:latest >/dev/null
 # Wait for services to be ready
diff --git a/server/tests/conftest.py b/server/tests/conftest.py
index a2c90973..e6d1b400 100644
--- a/server/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/server/tests/conftest.py
@@ -18,11 +18,11 @@ async def _connection():
     """Provide a connection to the database that's properly closed afterwards."""
     try:
         connection = await asyncpg.connect(
-            host=os.environ["POSTGRESQL_URL"],
-            port=os.environ["POSTGRESQL_PORT"],
-            user=os.environ["POSTGRESQL_IDENTIFIER"],
-            password=os.environ["POSTGRESQL_PASSWORD"],
-            database=os.environ["POSTGRESQL_DATABASE"],
+            host=os.environ["HERMES_POSTGRESQL_URL"],
+            port=os.environ["HERMES_POSTGRESQL_PORT"],
+            user=os.environ["HERMES_POSTGRESQL_IDENTIFIER"],
+            password=os.environ["HERMES_POSTGRESQL_PASSWORD"],
+            database=os.environ["HERMES_POSTGRESQL_DATABASE"],
         )
         await database.initialize(connection)
         yield connection