diff --git a/web/app.py b/web/app.py
index 3b6779b..d1ba5b2 100644
--- a/web/app.py
+++ b/web/app.py
@@ -2587,7 +2587,7 @@ def _read_infisical_values() -> tuple[dict[str, str], list[str]]:
         )
     except Exception as e:
         logger.warning("infisical_read_failed: %s", e)
-        return {}, [f"infisical_read_failed: {e}"]
+        return {}, ["infisical_read_failed"]
     values: dict[str, str] = {}
     for s in secrets:
         if s.secret_key in ENV_CATALOG:
@@ -2599,18 +2599,36 @@ def _build_env_var_row(
     spec: EnvSpec,
     infisical_value: str | None,
     container_value: str | None,
+    infisical_available: bool = True,
 ) -> dict[str, Any]:
-    """Build a single response row for an env var."""
-    if spec.is_secret:
+    """Build a single response row for an env var.
+
+    When infisical_available=False and infisical_value=None, drift is forced
+    to False (we cannot detect drift without ground truth — UI shows the
+    'errors' field instead).
+    """
+    # When Infisical is unreachable, we have no ground truth — don't fabricate drift.
+    if not infisical_available and infisical_value is None:
+        drift = False
+        if spec.is_secret:
+            infisical_display: str | None = None
+            container_display: str | None = (
+                mask_secret(container_value) if container_value else None
+            )
+        else:
+            infisical_display = None
+            container_display = container_value
+    elif spec.is_secret:
         i_norm = mask_secret(infisical_value) if infisical_value else None
         c_norm = mask_secret(container_value) if container_value else None
-        # drift: compare raw before masking
+        # Raw comparison (not hash): values stay in server memory only — never
+        # logged or returned in the response. mask_secret is applied to display only.
         drift = (
             (infisical_value or "") != (container_value or "")
             and bool(infisical_value or container_value)
         )
-        infisical_display: str | None = i_norm
-        container_display: str | None = c_norm
+        infisical_display = i_norm
+        container_display = c_norm
     else:
         infisical_display = infisical_value
         container_display = container_value
@@ -2618,7 +2636,6 @@ def _build_env_var_row(
             normalize_for_compare(spec, infisical_value)
             != normalize_for_compare(spec, container_value)
         )
-        # only count as drift if at least one side is non-null
         if infisical_value is None and container_value is None:
             drift = False
     row = spec.to_public_dict()
@@ -2635,11 +2652,14 @@ async def api_mcp_env():
     """List all catalog env vars with Infisical + container values."""
     infisical_values, errors = _read_infisical_values()
     project_id, env, path = _infisical_ctx()
+    infisical_available = not errors  # empty errors list → Infisical reachable
     rows = []
     for key, spec in ENV_CATALOG.items():
         i_val = infisical_values.get(key)
         c_val = os.environ.get(key)
-        rows.append(_build_env_var_row(spec, i_val, c_val))
+        rows.append(
+            _build_env_var_row(spec, i_val, c_val, infisical_available=infisical_available)
+        )
     return {
         "vars": rows,
         "infisical_environment": env,