diff --git a/app/Actions/Database/StartClickhouse.php b/app/Actions/Database/StartClickhouse.php
index 077e95080f..f9e92e08f1 100644
--- a/app/Actions/Database/StartClickhouse.php
+++ b/app/Actions/Database/StartClickhouse.php
@@ -156,12 +156,13 @@ class StartClickhouse
         $this->resolvedClickhouseUser = (string) $this->database->clickhouse_admin_user;
         $this->resolvedClickhousePassword = (string) $this->database->clickhouse_admin_password;
         foreach ($this->database->runtime_environment_variables as $env) {
-            $resolvedValue = (string) $this->database->resolveSecretManagerEnvironmentVariable($env);
+            $rawValue = (string) $this->database->resolveSecretManagerEnvironmentVariableValue($env);
+            $resolvedValue = (string) $this->database->formatEnvironmentVariableValue($env, $rawValue);
             $environment_variables->push($env->key.'='.$resolvedValue);
             if ($env->key === 'CLICKHOUSE_USER') {
-                $this->resolvedClickhouseUser = $resolvedValue;
+                $this->resolvedClickhouseUser = $rawValue;
             } elseif ($env->key === 'CLICKHOUSE_PASSWORD') {
-                $this->resolvedClickhousePassword = $resolvedValue;
+                $this->resolvedClickhousePassword = $rawValue;
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/app/Actions/Database/StartDatabase.php b/app/Actions/Database/StartDatabase.php
index 86286a154b..3487bc9a42 100644
--- a/app/Actions/Database/StartDatabase.php
+++ b/app/Actions/Database/StartDatabase.php
@@ -46,11 +46,16 @@ class StartDatabase
             ->event(ActivityTypes::INLINE->value)
             ->log('[]');
 
+        if ($activity === null) {
+            return 'Database start could not be queued because activity logging is disabled.';
+        }
+
         DatabaseStartJob::dispatch(
             $database->getMorphClass(),
             (int) $database->getKey(),
             (int) $database->team()->id,
             (int) $activity->getKey(),
+            auth()->id(),
         );
 
         if ($database->is_public && $database->public_port) {
diff --git a/app/Actions/Database/StartDragonfly.php b/app/Actions/Database/StartDragonfly.php
index b76e90ce49..078d557f57 100644
--- a/app/Actions/Database/StartDragonfly.php
+++ b/app/Actions/Database/StartDragonfly.php
@@ -205,7 +205,8 @@ class StartDragonfly
 
     private function buildStartCommand(): string
     {
-        $command = "dragonfly --requirepass {$this->resolvedRedisPassword}";
+        $escapedRedisPassword = escapeshellarg($this->resolvedRedisPassword);
+        $command = "dragonfly --requirepass {$escapedRedisPassword}";
 
         if ($this->database->enable_ssl) {
             $sslArgs = [
@@ -257,10 +258,11 @@ class StartDragonfly
         $environment_variables = collect();
         $this->resolvedRedisPassword = (string) $this->database->dragonfly_password;
         foreach ($this->database->runtime_environment_variables as $env) {
-            $resolvedValue = (string) $this->database->resolveSecretManagerEnvironmentVariable($env);
+            $rawValue = (string) $this->database->resolveSecretManagerEnvironmentVariableValue($env);
+            $resolvedValue = (string) $this->database->formatEnvironmentVariableValue($env, $rawValue);
             $environment_variables->push($env->key.'='.$resolvedValue);
             if ($env->key === 'REDIS_PASSWORD') {
-                $this->resolvedRedisPassword = $resolvedValue;
+                $this->resolvedRedisPassword = $rawValue;
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/app/Actions/Database/StartKeydb.php b/app/Actions/Database/StartKeydb.php
index a355617ed7..3b9cba28f4 100644
--- a/app/Actions/Database/StartKeydb.php
+++ b/app/Actions/Database/StartKeydb.php
@@ -258,10 +258,11 @@ class StartKeydb
         $environment_variables = collect();
         $this->resolvedRedisPassword = (string) $this->database->keydb_password;
         foreach ($this->database->runtime_environment_variables as $env) {
-            $resolvedValue = (string) $this->database->resolveSecretManagerEnvironmentVariable($env);
+            $rawValue = (string) $this->database->resolveSecretManagerEnvironmentVariableValue($env);
+            $resolvedValue = (string) $this->database->formatEnvironmentVariableValue($env, $rawValue);
             $environment_variables->push($env->key.'='.$resolvedValue);
             if ($env->key === 'REDIS_PASSWORD') {
-                $this->resolvedRedisPassword = $resolvedValue;
+                $this->resolvedRedisPassword = $rawValue;
             }
         }
 
@@ -289,6 +290,7 @@ class StartKeydb
     {
         $hasKeydbConf = ! is_null($this->database->keydb_conf) && ! empty($this->database->keydb_conf);
         $keydbConfPath = '/etc/keydb/keydb.conf';
+        $escapedRedisPassword = escapeshellarg($this->resolvedRedisPassword);
 
         if ($hasKeydbConf) {
             $confContent = $this->database->keydb_conf;
@@ -297,10 +299,10 @@ class StartKeydb
             if ($hasRequirePass) {
                 $command = "keydb-server $keydbConfPath";
             } else {
-                $command = "keydb-server $keydbConfPath --requirepass {$this->resolvedRedisPassword}";
+                $command = "keydb-server $keydbConfPath --requirepass {$escapedRedisPassword}";
             }
         } else {
-            $command = "keydb-server --requirepass {$this->resolvedRedisPassword} --appendonly yes";
+            $command = "keydb-server --requirepass {$escapedRedisPassword} --appendonly yes";
         }
 
         if ($this->database->enable_ssl) {
diff --git a/app/Actions/Database/StartMongodb.php b/app/Actions/Database/StartMongodb.php
index f6ea641b4b..ff338aa99f 100644
--- a/app/Actions/Database/StartMongodb.php
+++ b/app/Actions/Database/StartMongodb.php
@@ -315,14 +315,15 @@ class StartMongodb
         $this->resolvedMongoPassword = (string) $this->database->mongo_initdb_root_password;
         $this->resolvedMongoDatabase = (string) $this->database->mongo_initdb_database;
         foreach ($this->database->runtime_environment_variables as $env) {
-            $resolvedValue = (string) $this->database->resolveSecretManagerEnvironmentVariable($env);
+            $rawValue = (string) $this->database->resolveSecretManagerEnvironmentVariableValue($env);
+            $resolvedValue = (string) $this->database->formatEnvironmentVariableValue($env, $rawValue);
             $environment_variables->push($env->key.'='.$resolvedValue);
             if ($env->key === 'MONGO_INITDB_ROOT_USERNAME') {
-                $this->resolvedMongoUsername = $resolvedValue;
+                $this->resolvedMongoUsername = $rawValue;
             } elseif ($env->key === 'MONGO_INITDB_ROOT_PASSWORD') {
-                $this->resolvedMongoPassword = $resolvedValue;
+                $this->resolvedMongoPassword = $rawValue;
             } elseif ($env->key === 'MONGO_INITDB_DATABASE') {
-                $this->resolvedMongoDatabase = $resolvedValue;
+                $this->resolvedMongoDatabase = $rawValue;
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/app/Actions/Database/StartMysql.php b/app/Actions/Database/StartMysql.php
index 0615f15ca9..cff8d0b363 100644
--- a/app/Actions/Database/StartMysql.php
+++ b/app/Actions/Database/StartMysql.php
@@ -262,10 +262,11 @@ class StartMysql
         $environment_variables = collect();
         $this->resolvedMysqlRootPassword = (string) $this->database->mysql_root_password;
         foreach ($this->database->runtime_environment_variables as $env) {
-            $resolvedValue = (string) $this->database->resolveSecretManagerEnvironmentVariable($env);
+            $rawValue = (string) $this->database->resolveSecretManagerEnvironmentVariableValue($env);
+            $resolvedValue = (string) $this->database->formatEnvironmentVariableValue($env, $rawValue);
             $environment_variables->push($env->key.'='.$resolvedValue);
             if ($env->key === 'MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD') {
-                $this->resolvedMysqlRootPassword = $resolvedValue;
+                $this->resolvedMysqlRootPassword = $rawValue;
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/app/Actions/Database/StartPostgresql.php b/app/Actions/Database/StartPostgresql.php
index 6e62b29707..f9dd7a3c4f 100644
--- a/app/Actions/Database/StartPostgresql.php
+++ b/app/Actions/Database/StartPostgresql.php
@@ -274,12 +274,13 @@ class StartPostgresql
         $this->resolvedPostgresUser = (string) $this->database->postgres_user;
         $this->resolvedPostgresDatabase = (string) $this->database->postgres_db;
         foreach ($this->database->runtime_environment_variables as $env) {
-            $resolvedValue = (string) $this->database->resolveSecretManagerEnvironmentVariable($env);
+            $rawValue = (string) $this->database->resolveSecretManagerEnvironmentVariableValue($env);
+            $resolvedValue = (string) $this->database->formatEnvironmentVariableValue($env, $rawValue);
             $environment_variables->push($env->key.'='.$resolvedValue);
             if ($env->key === 'POSTGRES_USER') {
-                $this->resolvedPostgresUser = $resolvedValue;
+                $this->resolvedPostgresUser = $rawValue;
             } elseif ($env->key === 'POSTGRES_DB') {
-                $this->resolvedPostgresDatabase = $resolvedValue;
+                $this->resolvedPostgresDatabase = $rawValue;
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/app/Jobs/DatabaseStartJob.php b/app/Jobs/DatabaseStartJob.php
index da93a2dd21..e21ee38c61 100644
--- a/app/Jobs/DatabaseStartJob.php
+++ b/app/Jobs/DatabaseStartJob.php
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ class DatabaseStartJob implements ShouldBeEncrypted, ShouldQueue
         public int $databaseId,
         public int $teamId,
         public int $activityId,
+        public ?int $userId,
     ) {
         $this->onQueue(deployment_queue());
     }
@@ -52,34 +53,36 @@ class DatabaseStartJob implements ShouldBeEncrypted, ShouldQueue
         abort_unless((int) $database->team()->id === $this->teamId, 403);
         $activity = Activity::query()->findOrFail($this->activityId);
 
-        try {
-            match ($database->getMorphClass()) {
-                StandalonePostgresql::class => StartPostgresql::run($database, $activity),
-                StandaloneRedis::class => StartRedis::run($database, $activity),
-                StandaloneMongodb::class => StartMongodb::run($database, $activity),
-                StandaloneMysql::class => StartMysql::run($database, $activity),
-                StandaloneMariadb::class => StartMariadb::run($database, $activity),
-                StandaloneKeydb::class => StartKeydb::run($database, $activity),
-                StandaloneDragonfly::class => StartDragonfly::run($database, $activity),
-                StandaloneClickhouse::class => StartClickhouse::run($database, $activity),
-            };
-        } finally {
-            event(new DatabaseStatusChanged($database));
-        }
+        match ($database->getMorphClass()) {
+            StandalonePostgresql::class => StartPostgresql::run($database, $activity),
+            StandaloneRedis::class => StartRedis::run($database, $activity),
+            StandaloneMongodb::class => StartMongodb::run($database, $activity),
+            StandaloneMysql::class => StartMysql::run($database, $activity),
+            StandaloneMariadb::class => StartMariadb::run($database, $activity),
+            StandaloneKeydb::class => StartKeydb::run($database, $activity),
+            StandaloneDragonfly::class => StartDragonfly::run($database, $activity),
+            StandaloneClickhouse::class => StartClickhouse::run($database, $activity),
+        };
+
+        event(new DatabaseStatusChanged($this->userId));
     }
 
     public function failed(?Throwable $exception): void
     {
-        $activity = Activity::query()->find($this->activityId);
-        if (! $activity) {
-            return;
-        }
+        try {
+            $activity = Activity::query()->find($this->activityId);
+            if (! $activity) {
+                return;
+            }
 
-        $activity->properties = $activity->properties->merge([
-            'status' => ProcessStatus::ERROR->value,
-            'error' => 'Database start failed.',
-            'failed_at' => now()->toIso8601String(),
-        ]);
-        $activity->save();
+            $activity->properties = $activity->properties->merge([
+                'status' => ProcessStatus::ERROR->value,
+                'error' => 'Database start failed.',
+                'failed_at' => now()->toIso8601String(),
+            ]);
+            $activity->save();
+        } finally {
+            event(new DatabaseStatusChanged($this->userId));
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/app/Traits/HasSecretManager.php b/app/Traits/HasSecretManager.php
index 7ade50e4ba..8b3e50b7bd 100644
--- a/app/Traits/HasSecretManager.php
+++ b/app/Traits/HasSecretManager.php
@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@ trait HasSecretManager
     {
         $value = $this->resolveSecretManagerEnvironmentVariableValue($environmentVariable);
 
+        return $this->formatEnvironmentVariableValue($environmentVariable, $value);
+    }
+
+    public function formatEnvironmentVariableValue(EnvironmentVariable $environmentVariable, ?string $value): ?string
+    {
         if ($value === null) {
             return null;
         }
diff --git a/tests/Feature/DatabaseStartActivityLoggingTest.php b/tests/Feature/DatabaseStartActivityLoggingTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ff8f0e8ec8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Feature/DatabaseStartActivityLoggingTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+<?php
+
+use App\Actions\Database\StartDatabase;
+use App\Jobs\DatabaseStartJob;
+use App\Models\Server;
+use App\Models\ServerSetting;
+use App\Models\StandaloneDocker;
+use App\Models\StandaloneRedis;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Bus;
+use Spatie\Activitylog\ActivityLogStatus;
+
+it('returns an actionable error when database start activity logging is disabled', function () {
+    config()->set('activitylog.enabled', false);
+    app(ActivityLogStatus::class)->disable();
+    Bus::fake();
+
+    $server = new Server(['ip' => '192.0.2.1']);
+    $server->setRelation('settings', new ServerSetting([
+        'is_reachable' => true,
+        'is_usable' => true,
+        'force_disabled' => false,
+    ]));
+
+    $destination = new StandaloneDocker;
+    $destination->setRelation('server', $server);
+
+    $database = new StandaloneRedis;
+    $database->setRelation('destination', $destination);
+
+    $result = (new StartDatabase)->handle($database);
+
+    expect($result)->toBe('Database start could not be queued because activity logging is disabled.');
+    Bus::assertNotDispatched(DatabaseStartJob::class);
+});
diff --git a/tests/Unit/DatabaseStartActionResolvedCredentialsTest.php b/tests/Unit/DatabaseStartActionResolvedCredentialsTest.php
index 364d544904..7ee295e34f 100644
--- a/tests/Unit/DatabaseStartActionResolvedCredentialsTest.php
+++ b/tests/Unit/DatabaseStartActionResolvedCredentialsTest.php
@@ -64,3 +64,20 @@ it('queues database starts with identifiers instead of generated commands', func
         ->not->toContain('StartPostgresql::run(')
         ->not->toContain('StartRedis::run(');
 });
+
+it('keeps raw secret values separate from compose environment formatting', function (string $action, array $rawAssignments) {
+    $source = file_get_contents(__DIR__."/../../app/Actions/Database/{$action}.php");
+
+    expect($source)
+        ->toContain('$rawValue = (string) $this->database->resolveSecretManagerEnvironmentVariableValue($env);')
+        ->toContain('$resolvedValue = (string) $this->database->formatEnvironmentVariableValue($env, $rawValue);')
+        ->toContain('$environment_variables->push($env->key.\'=\'.$resolvedValue);')
+        ->toContain(...$rawAssignments);
+})->with([
+    'clickhouse' => ['StartClickhouse', ['$this->resolvedClickhouseUser = $rawValue;', '$this->resolvedClickhousePassword = $rawValue;']],
+    'dragonfly' => ['StartDragonfly', ['$this->resolvedRedisPassword = $rawValue;', 'escapeshellarg($this->resolvedRedisPassword)']],
+    'keydb' => ['StartKeydb', ['$this->resolvedRedisPassword = $rawValue;', 'escapeshellarg($this->resolvedRedisPassword)']],
+    'mongodb' => ['StartMongodb', ['$this->resolvedMongoUsername = $rawValue;', '$this->resolvedMongoPassword = $rawValue;', '$this->resolvedMongoDatabase = $rawValue;', 'json_encode($this->resolvedMongoPassword']],
+    'mysql' => ['StartMysql', ['$this->resolvedMysqlRootPassword = $rawValue;']],
+    'postgresql' => ['StartPostgresql', ['$this->resolvedPostgresUser = $rawValue;', '$this->resolvedPostgresDatabase = $rawValue;']],
+]);
diff --git a/tests/Unit/DatabaseStartJobTest.php b/tests/Unit/DatabaseStartJobTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e6333ea769
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Unit/DatabaseStartJobTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+<?php
+
+use App\Events\DatabaseStatusChanged;
+use App\Jobs\DatabaseStartJob;
+use Illuminate\Foundation\Testing\RefreshDatabase;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Event;
+use Tests\TestCase;
+
+uses(TestCase::class, RefreshDatabase::class);
+
+it('broadcasts failed database starts to the initiating user even when the activity is missing', function () {
+    Event::fake([DatabaseStatusChanged::class]);
+
+    $job = new DatabaseStartJob(
+        databaseClass: 'MissingDatabase',
+        databaseId: 123,
+        teamId: 456,
+        activityId: 789,
+        userId: 42,
+    );
+
+    $job->failed(new RuntimeException('Database start failed.'));
+
+    Event::assertDispatched(
+        DatabaseStatusChanged::class,
+        fn (DatabaseStatusChanged $event): bool => $event->userId === 42,
+    );
+});
+
+it('targets normal database start status changes to the initiating user', function () {
+    $source = file_get_contents(__DIR__.'/../../app/Jobs/DatabaseStartJob.php');
+
+    expect($source)
+        ->toContain('event(new DatabaseStatusChanged($this->userId));')
+        ->not->toContain('event(new DatabaseStatusChanged($database));');
+});