diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ae81c84..61a5276 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 ## Install
 
 ```sh
-go get cloud.campbellwireless.net/git/barkstack/barkfile-parser@v1.0.0
+go get cloud.campbellwireless.net/git/barkstack/barkfile-parser/v2@v2.0.0
 ```
 
 The module requires Go 1.24 or later.
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ if err != nil {
 The current schema defines one `pawsql` block with a listener, an optional TLS `cert`/`key` pair, and one or more `database` routes. A route has exactly one of:
 
 - `upstream <host:port>` for an external PostgreSQL server.
-- `postgres { ... }` for a managed PostgreSQL container. Its `image`, `volume`, and `password_env` directives are required. `idle_timeout` and `traffic_idle_timeout` accept Go duration strings.
+- `postgres { ... }` for a managed PostgreSQL container. Its `image`, `volume`, and `password_secret` directives are required. `password_secret` is a short lowercase reference resolved to the Docker secret `barkstack_<reference>`. `idle_timeout` and `traffic_idle_timeout` accept Go duration strings.
 
 ```text
 pawsql {
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ pawsql {
         postgres {
             image postgres:18
             volume application-data
-            password_env APPLICATION_POSTGRES_PASSWORD
+            password_secret application_postgres_password
             idle_timeout 10m
             traffic_idle_timeout 1h
         }
@@ -48,6 +48,12 @@ pawsql {
 }
 ```
 
+Create the referenced secret before deploying PawSQL:
+
+```sh
+docker secret create barkstack_application_postgres_password /secure/path/application-postgres-password
+```
+
 ## Watch validated changes
 
 ```go
@@ -80,4 +86,4 @@ Gitea Actions runs tests on each `main` push. The release job reads Conventional
 | `type!:` or `BREAKING CHANGE:` | major |
 | other types | no release |
 
-Go consumers update through standard module versions, for example `go get cloud.campbellwireless.net/git/barkstack/barkfile-parser@latest`.
+Go consumers update through standard module versions, for example `go get cloud.campbellwireless.net/git/barkstack/barkfile-parser/v2@latest`.
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 05924bf..4de9390 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
-module cloud.campbellwireless.net/git/barkstack/barkfile-parser
+module cloud.campbellwireless.net/git/barkstack/barkfile-parser/v2
 
 go 1.24
diff --git a/parser.go b/parser.go
index fb9208e..692e040 100644
--- a/parser.go
+++ b/parser.go
@@ -247,11 +247,11 @@ func (p *parser) parsePostgres() (PostgresConfig, error) {
 				return PostgresConfig{}, fmt.Errorf("line %d: volume may only be specified once", directive.line)
 			}
 			cfg.Volume = value
-		case "password_env":
-			if cfg.PasswordEnv != "" {
-				return PostgresConfig{}, fmt.Errorf("line %d: password_env may only be specified once", directive.line)
+		case "password_secret":
+			if cfg.PasswordSecret != "" {
+				return PostgresConfig{}, fmt.Errorf("line %d: password_secret may only be specified once", directive.line)
 			}
-			cfg.PasswordEnv = value
+			cfg.PasswordSecret = value
 		case "idle_timeout":
 			if idleTimeoutSet {
 				return PostgresConfig{}, fmt.Errorf("line %d: idle_timeout may only be specified once", directive.line)
diff --git a/parser_test.go b/parser_test.go
index 3714675..289e19a 100644
--- a/parser_test.go
+++ b/parser_test.go
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ func TestParsePostgresContainer(t *testing.T) {
   postgres {
    image postgres:18
    volume analytics-data
-   password_env ANALYTICS_POSTGRES_PASSWORD
+   password_secret analytics_password
    idle_timeout 15m
    traffic_idle_timeout 1h
   }
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ func TestParsePostgresContainer(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 	database := cfg.Databases[0]
-	if database.Postgres == nil || database.Postgres.Image != "postgres:18" || database.Postgres.Volume != "analytics-data" || database.Postgres.PasswordEnv != "ANALYTICS_POSTGRES_PASSWORD" || database.Postgres.IdleTimeout != 15*time.Minute || database.Postgres.TrafficIdleTimeout != time.Hour {
+	if database.Postgres == nil || database.Postgres.Image != "postgres:18" || database.Postgres.Volume != "analytics-data" || database.Postgres.PasswordSecret != "analytics_password" || database.Postgres.IdleTimeout != 15*time.Minute || database.Postgres.TrafficIdleTimeout != time.Hour {
 		t.Errorf("Postgres = %#v", database.Postgres)
 	}
 	if err := cfg.Validate(); err != nil {
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ func TestParseRejectsInvalidPostgresIdleTimeout(t *testing.T) {
   postgres {
    image postgres:18
    volume analytics-data
-   password_env ANALYTICS_POSTGRES_PASSWORD
+   password_secret analytics_password
    idle_timeout whenever
   }
  }
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ func TestParseRejectsInvalidPostgresTrafficIdleTimeout(t *testing.T) {
   postgres {
    image postgres:18
    volume analytics-data
-   password_env ANALYTICS_POSTGRES_PASSWORD
+   password_secret analytics_password
    traffic_idle_timeout whenever
   }
  }
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ func TestValidateAllowsSupportedPostgresImages(t *testing.T) {
 			TLS:    TLSConfig{CertFile: "cert.pem", KeyFile: "key.pem"},
 			Databases: []DatabaseConfig{{
 				Name:     "analytics",
-				Postgres: &PostgresConfig{Image: image, Volume: "analytics-data", PasswordEnv: "ANALYTICS_POSTGRES_PASSWORD"},
+				Postgres: &PostgresConfig{Image: image, Volume: "analytics-data", PasswordSecret: "analytics_password"},
 			}},
 		}
 		if err := cfg.Validate(); err != nil {
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ func TestValidateRejectsUnsupportedPostgresImage(t *testing.T) {
 		TLS:    TLSConfig{CertFile: "cert.pem", KeyFile: "key.pem"},
 		Databases: []DatabaseConfig{{
 			Name:     "analytics",
-			Postgres: &PostgresConfig{Image: "postgres:15", Volume: "analytics-data", PasswordEnv: "ANALYTICS_POSTGRES_PASSWORD"},
+			Postgres: &PostgresConfig{Image: "postgres:15", Volume: "analytics-data", PasswordSecret: "analytics_password"},
 		}},
 	}
 	err := cfg.Validate()
@@ -281,6 +281,32 @@ func TestValidateRejectsUnsupportedPostgresImage(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestValidateRejectsInvalidSecretReference(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, reference := range []string{"", "UPPERCASE", "../secret", "has-hyphen", strings.Repeat("a", 55)} {
+		cfg := Config{
+			Listen: ":5432",
+			Databases: []DatabaseConfig{{
+				Name: "analytics",
+				Postgres: &PostgresConfig{
+					Image:          "postgres:18",
+					Volume:         "analytics-data",
+					PasswordSecret: reference,
+				},
+			}},
+		}
+		err := cfg.Validate()
+		if err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "password_secret") {
+			t.Errorf("Validate() reference %q error = %v, want password_secret error", reference, err)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestDockerSecretNamePrefixesShortReference(t *testing.T) {
+	if got := DockerSecretName("analytics_password"); got != "barkstack_analytics_password" {
+		t.Fatalf("DockerSecretName() = %q", got)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestParseMalformedBlocksReportLine(t *testing.T) {
 	_, err := Parse([]byte("pawsql {\n tls {\n  cert cert.pem\n"))
 	if err == nil {
diff --git a/schema.go b/schema.go
index 11b95b1..8ab49d5 100644
--- a/schema.go
+++ b/schema.go
@@ -26,13 +26,15 @@ type DatabaseConfig struct {
 	Postgres *PostgresConfig
 }
 
-// PostgresConfig declares a PawSQL-managed PostgreSQL container. IdleTimeout
-// starts after the last proxied client session closes. TrafficIdleTimeout
-// applies to open sessions with no proxied bytes. Zero disables either timeout.
+// PostgresConfig declares a PawSQL-managed PostgreSQL container. PasswordSecret
+// is a short Barkfile reference resolved to a Docker secret named
+// barkstack_<reference>. IdleTimeout starts after the last proxied client
+// session closes. TrafficIdleTimeout applies to open sessions with no proxied
+// bytes. Zero disables either timeout.
 type PostgresConfig struct {
 	Image              string
 	Volume             string
-	PasswordEnv        string
+	PasswordSecret     string
 	IdleTimeout        time.Duration
 	TrafficIdleTimeout time.Duration
 }
diff --git a/validate.go b/validate.go
index 9a1f304..8cfe7ab 100644
--- a/validate.go
+++ b/validate.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"net"
+	"regexp"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 )
@@ -13,6 +14,16 @@ func NormalizeHostname(hostname string) string {
 	return strings.TrimSuffix(strings.ToLower(strings.TrimSpace(hostname)), ".")
 }
 
+const DockerSecretPrefix = "barkstack_"
+
+var secretReferencePattern = regexp.MustCompile(`^[a-z][a-z0-9_]*$`)
+
+// DockerSecretName returns the namespaced Docker object name for a validated
+// short Barkfile secret reference.
+func DockerSecretName(reference string) string {
+	return DockerSecretPrefix + reference
+}
+
 // Validate verifies configuration invariants that do not require opening files.
 func (c Config) Validate() error {
 	var errs []error
@@ -74,8 +85,8 @@ func validatePostgres(postgres PostgresConfig) error {
 	if strings.TrimSpace(postgres.Volume) == "" {
 		return errors.New("volume is required")
 	}
-	if strings.TrimSpace(postgres.PasswordEnv) == "" {
-		return errors.New("password_env is required")
+	if !ValidSecretReference(postgres.PasswordSecret) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("password_secret %q must start with a lowercase letter, contain only lowercase letters, digits, or underscores, and be at most 54 characters", postgres.PasswordSecret)
 	}
 	if postgres.IdleTimeout < 0 {
 		return errors.New("idle_timeout cannot be negative")
@@ -86,6 +97,12 @@ func validatePostgres(postgres PostgresConfig) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// ValidSecretReference reports whether reference is safe for use as a short
+// Barkfile secret name and as part of a Docker secret name.
+func ValidSecretReference(reference string) bool {
+	return len(reference) <= 54 && secretReferencePattern.MatchString(reference)
+}
+
 func validateListenAddress(address string) error {
 	_, port, err := net.SplitHostPort(address)
 	if err != nil {