diff --git a/apps/login/next-env-vars.d.ts b/apps/login/next-env-vars.d.ts
index 041e3a955..f57ab6a30 100644
--- a/apps/login/next-env-vars.d.ts
+++ b/apps/login/next-env-vars.d.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,20 @@ declare namespace NodeJS {
      */
     ZITADEL_SERVICE_USER_TOKEN: string;
 
+    /**
+     * Path to a private key file for JWT authentication.
+     * When set, the login service will read the key and sign JWTs for API authentication.
+     * Requires ZITADEL_LOGIN_SYSTEM_USER_ID or SYSTEM_USER_ID to be set.
+     * AUDIENCE defaults to ZITADEL_API_URL if not explicitly set.
+     */
+    ZITADEL_LOGIN_SERVICE_KEY_FILE?: string;
+
+    /**
+     * The system user ID for login service key authentication.
+     * Falls back to SYSTEM_USER_ID if not set.
+     */
+    ZITADEL_LOGIN_SYSTEM_USER_ID?: string;
+
     /**
      * Optional: wheter a user must have verified email
      */
diff --git a/apps/login/src/lib/api.ts b/apps/login/src/lib/api.ts
index 732400730..56616d659 100644
--- a/apps/login/src/lib/api.ts
+++ b/apps/login/src/lib/api.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,16 @@
 import { newSystemToken } from "@zitadel/client/node";
+import { readFileSync } from "fs";
+import { getLoginSystemUserId } from "./deployment";
 
+/**
+ * Creates a signed JWT token using system user credentials from environment
+ * variables. The SYSTEM_USER_PRIVATE_KEY is expected to be base64-encoded and
+ * is decoded before signing. Requires AUDIENCE, SYSTEM_USER_ID, and
+ * SYSTEM_USER_PRIVATE_KEY to be set in the environment.
+ *
+ * @returns A signed JWT token string for authenticating API requests.
+ * @throws If the underlying token signing fails.
+ */
 export async function systemAPIToken() {
   const token = {
     audience: process.env.AUDIENCE,
@@ -15,3 +26,28 @@ export async function systemAPIToken() {
     key: token.token,
   });
 }
+
+/**
+ * Creates a signed JWT token by reading a private key from the file path
+ * specified in ZITADEL_LOGIN_SERVICE_KEY_FILE. The audience is resolved from
+ * AUDIENCE or falls back to ZITADEL_API_URL, and the subject is resolved via
+ * {@link getLoginSystemUserId}.
+ *
+ * @returns A signed JWT token string for authenticating API requests.
+ * @throws If the key file cannot be read or the token signing fails.
+ */
+export async function loginServiceKeyToken() {
+  const keyFile = process.env.ZITADEL_LOGIN_SERVICE_KEY_FILE!;
+
+  try {
+    const key = readFileSync(keyFile, "utf-8");
+
+    return newSystemToken({
+      audience: process.env.AUDIENCE || process.env.ZITADEL_API_URL,
+      subject: getLoginSystemUserId()!,
+      key: key,
+    });
+  } catch (err) {
+    throw new Error(`Failed to read login service key file "${keyFile}": ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : err}`);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/apps/login/src/lib/deployment.test.ts b/apps/login/src/lib/deployment.test.ts
index b8a7c288d..8005b763b 100644
--- a/apps/login/src/lib/deployment.test.ts
+++ b/apps/login/src/lib/deployment.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { describe, expect, test, beforeEach, afterEach } from "vitest";
-import { hasSystemUserCredentials, hasServiceUserToken } from "./deployment";
+import { hasSystemUserCredentials, hasServiceUserToken, hasLoginServiceKey, getLoginSystemUserId } from "./deployment";
 
 describe("Deployment utilities", () => {
   const originalEnv = process.env;
@@ -55,6 +55,61 @@ describe("Deployment utilities", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  describe("hasLoginServiceKey", () => {
+    test("should return true with ZITADEL_LOGIN_SERVICE_KEY_FILE and ZITADEL_LOGIN_SYSTEM_USER_ID", () => {
+      process.env.ZITADEL_LOGIN_SERVICE_KEY_FILE = "/path/to/key.pem";
+      process.env.ZITADEL_LOGIN_SYSTEM_USER_ID = "login-user";
+
+      expect(hasLoginServiceKey()).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    test("should return true with ZITADEL_LOGIN_SERVICE_KEY_FILE and SYSTEM_USER_ID fallback", () => {
+      process.env.ZITADEL_LOGIN_SERVICE_KEY_FILE = "/path/to/key.pem";
+      process.env.ZITADEL_LOGIN_SYSTEM_USER_ID = undefined as any;
+      process.env.SYSTEM_USER_ID = "system-user";
+
+      expect(hasLoginServiceKey()).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    test("should return false when ZITADEL_LOGIN_SERVICE_KEY_FILE is missing", () => {
+      process.env.ZITADEL_LOGIN_SERVICE_KEY_FILE = undefined as any;
+      process.env.ZITADEL_LOGIN_SYSTEM_USER_ID = "login-user";
+
+      expect(hasLoginServiceKey()).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    test("should return false when no user ID is set", () => {
+      process.env.ZITADEL_LOGIN_SERVICE_KEY_FILE = "/path/to/key.pem";
+      process.env.ZITADEL_LOGIN_SYSTEM_USER_ID = undefined as any;
+      process.env.SYSTEM_USER_ID = undefined as any;
+
+      expect(hasLoginServiceKey()).toBe(false);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("getLoginSystemUserId", () => {
+    test("should return ZITADEL_LOGIN_SYSTEM_USER_ID when set", () => {
+      process.env.ZITADEL_LOGIN_SYSTEM_USER_ID = "login-user";
+      process.env.SYSTEM_USER_ID = "system-user";
+
+      expect(getLoginSystemUserId()).toBe("login-user");
+    });
+
+    test("should return SYSTEM_USER_ID as fallback", () => {
+      process.env.ZITADEL_LOGIN_SYSTEM_USER_ID = undefined as any;
+      process.env.SYSTEM_USER_ID = "system-user";
+
+      expect(getLoginSystemUserId()).toBe("system-user");
+    });
+
+    test("should return undefined when neither is set", () => {
+      process.env.ZITADEL_LOGIN_SYSTEM_USER_ID = undefined as any;
+      process.env.SYSTEM_USER_ID = undefined as any;
+
+      expect(getLoginSystemUserId()).toBeUndefined();
+    });
+  });
+
   describe("hasServiceUserToken", () => {
     test("should return true when ZITADEL_SERVICE_USER_TOKEN is present", () => {
       process.env.ZITADEL_SERVICE_USER_TOKEN = "token123";
diff --git a/apps/login/src/lib/deployment.ts b/apps/login/src/lib/deployment.ts
index a8fc329b9..85c8d4953 100644
--- a/apps/login/src/lib/deployment.ts
+++ b/apps/login/src/lib/deployment.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,27 @@ export function hasSystemUserCredentials(): boolean {
   return !!process.env.AUDIENCE && !!process.env.SYSTEM_USER_ID && !!process.env.SYSTEM_USER_PRIVATE_KEY;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Checks if login service key file is available for JWT authentication.
+ *
+ * @returns true if ZITADEL_LOGIN_SERVICE_KEY_FILE and a user ID are present, false otherwise
+ */
+export function hasLoginServiceKey(): boolean {
+  return (
+    !!process.env.ZITADEL_LOGIN_SERVICE_KEY_FILE &&
+    !!(process.env.ZITADEL_LOGIN_SYSTEM_USER_ID || process.env.SYSTEM_USER_ID)
+  );
+}
+
+/**
+ * Gets the system user ID for login service key authentication.
+ *
+ * @returns ZITADEL_LOGIN_SYSTEM_USER_ID if set, otherwise SYSTEM_USER_ID
+ */
+export function getLoginSystemUserId(): string | undefined {
+  return process.env.ZITADEL_LOGIN_SYSTEM_USER_ID || process.env.SYSTEM_USER_ID;
+}
+
 /**
  * Checks if service account token is available for authentication.
  *
diff --git a/apps/login/src/lib/service.ts b/apps/login/src/lib/service.ts
index fa7b0c158..8b1a98d87 100644
--- a/apps/login/src/lib/service.ts
+++ b/apps/login/src/lib/service.ts
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ import { SAMLService } from "@zitadel/proto/zitadel/saml/v2/saml_service_pb";
 import { SessionService } from "@zitadel/proto/zitadel/session/v2/session_service_pb";
 import { SettingsService } from "@zitadel/proto/zitadel/settings/v2/settings_service_pb";
 import { UserService } from "@zitadel/proto/zitadel/user/v2/user_service_pb";
-import { systemAPIToken } from "./api";
-import { hasSystemUserCredentials, hasServiceUserToken } from "./deployment";
+import { systemAPIToken, loginServiceKeyToken } from "./api";
+import { hasSystemUserCredentials, hasLoginServiceKey, hasServiceUserToken } from "./deployment";
 import { createServerTransport, ServiceConfig } from "./zitadel";
 
 type ServiceClass =
@@ -23,15 +23,17 @@ export async function createServiceForHost<T extends ServiceClass>(service: T, s
   let token;
 
   // Determine authentication method based on available credentials
-  // Prefer system user JWT if available, fallback to service account token
+  // Priority: system user JWT > login service key > service account token
   if (hasSystemUserCredentials()) {
     token = await systemAPIToken();
+  } else if (hasLoginServiceKey()) {
+    token = await loginServiceKeyToken();
   } else if (hasServiceUserToken()) {
     // Use service account token authentication (self-hosted)
     token = process.env.ZITADEL_SERVICE_USER_TOKEN;
   } else {
     throw new Error(
-      "No authentication credentials found. Set either system user credentials (AUDIENCE, SYSTEM_USER_ID, SYSTEM_USER_PRIVATE_KEY) or ZITADEL_SERVICE_USER_TOKEN",
+      "No authentication credentials found. Set either system user credentials (AUDIENCE, SYSTEM_USER_ID, SYSTEM_USER_PRIVATE_KEY), login service key (ZITADEL_LOGIN_SERVICE_KEY_FILE with ZITADEL_LOGIN_SYSTEM_USER_ID or SYSTEM_USER_ID), or ZITADEL_SERVICE_USER_TOKEN",
     );
   }