diff --git a/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/_lib/credentials.sh b/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/_lib/credentials.sh
index dd05972..64d4d63 100755
--- a/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/_lib/credentials.sh
+++ b/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/_lib/credentials.sh
@@ -15,13 +15,23 @@
 #
 # After loading, service-specific env vars are exported.
 # Run `load_credentials --help` for details.
+#
+# Resolution order (first match wins):
+#   1. $MOSAIC_CREDENTIALS_FILE (explicit override — never second-guessed)
+#   2. $HOME/.config/mosaic/credentials.json
+#   3. /etc/mosaic/credentials.json (host-level fallback)
+# The /etc fallback exists for HOME-redirected profile environments, where
+# $HOME points at a per-profile directory that has no credentials file.
+# Operators symlink /etc/mosaic/credentials.json to the host's canonical
+# file once, instead of exporting MOSAIC_CREDENTIALS_FILE per invocation.
 
 if [[ -z "${MOSAIC_CREDENTIALS_FILE:-}" ]]; then
-  for _cand in "$HOME/.config/mosaic/credentials.json"; do
+  for _cand in "$HOME/.config/mosaic/credentials.json" "/etc/mosaic/credentials.json"; do
     if [[ -f "$_cand" ]]; then MOSAIC_CREDENTIALS_FILE="$_cand"; break; fi
   done
   : "${MOSAIC_CREDENTIALS_FILE:=$HOME/.config/mosaic/credentials.json}"
 fi
+export MOSAIC_CREDENTIALS_FILE
 
 _mosaic_require_jq() {
   if ! command -v jq &>/dev/null; then
diff --git a/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/git/detect-platform.sh b/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/git/detect-platform.sh
index 69156e9..e9e1901 100755
--- a/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/git/detect-platform.sh
+++ b/packages/mosaic/framework/tools/git/detect-platform.sh
@@ -86,7 +86,12 @@ gitea_url_matches_host() {
 
 get_gitea_service_for_host() {
     local host="$1"
-    local cred_file="${MOSAIC_CREDENTIALS_FILE:-$HOME/.config/mosaic/credentials.json}"
+    local cred_file="${MOSAIC_CREDENTIALS_FILE:-}"
+    if [[ -z "$cred_file" ]]; then
+        # Same resolution chain as _lib/credentials.sh: profile HOME, then host-level.
+        cred_file="$HOME/.config/mosaic/credentials.json"
+        [[ -f "$cred_file" ]] || cred_file="/etc/mosaic/credentials.json"
+    fi
 
     case "$host" in
         git.mosaicstack.dev)