diff --git a/openevolve/config.py b/openevolve/config.py
index 358d0e16b..7ab0c746e 100644
--- a/openevolve/config.py
+++ b/openevolve/config.py
@@ -282,6 +282,11 @@ def from_dict(cls, config_dict: Dict[str, Any]) -> "Config":
                 llm_dict["evaluator_models"] = [
                     LLMModelConfig(**m) for m in llm_dict["evaluator_models"]
                 ]
+            api_key = llm_dict.get("api_key", "").strip()
+            if api_key.startswith("${") and api_key.endswith("}"):
+                api_key_env = os.environ.get(api_key[2:-1])
+                if api_key_env is not None:
+                    llm_dict["api_key"] = api_key_env
             config.llm = LLMConfig(**llm_dict)
         if "prompt" in config_dict:
             config.prompt = PromptConfig(**config_dict["prompt"])