diff --git a/internal/cmd/auth.go b/internal/cmd/auth.go
index 7117982..25b0520 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/auth.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/auth.go
@@ -170,11 +170,11 @@ func resolveAuthInfo() (authInfoResult, error) {
 		result.Auth = "api_key"
 		result.AuthSource = "flag"
 		result.APIKey = lsconfig.MaskSecret(flagAPIKey)
-	case os.Getenv("LANGSMITH_API_KEY") != "":
+	case lsconfig.EnvAPIKey() != "":
 		result.Auth = "api_key"
 		result.AuthSource = "env"
 		result.AuthNote = "LANGSMITH_API_KEY is set and takes precedence over saved profile auth."
-		result.APIKey = lsconfig.MaskSecret(os.Getenv("LANGSMITH_API_KEY"))
+		result.APIKey = lsconfig.MaskSecret(lsconfig.EnvAPIKey())
 	case hasProfile && (profile.AccessToken() != "" || profile.OAuth.RefreshToken != ""):
 		result.Auth = "oauth"
 		result.AuthSource = "profile"
diff --git a/internal/cmd/profile.go b/internal/cmd/profile.go
index 2f87d3c..95c2605 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/profile.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/profile.go
@@ -54,7 +54,11 @@ func newProfileCreateCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "create NAME",
 		Short: "Create an API-key profile",
-		Args:  cobra.ExactArgs(1),
+		Long: `Create an API-key profile.
+
+To create or update a profile that uses OAuth, run:
+  langsmith auth login --profile NAME`,
+		Args: cobra.ExactArgs(1),
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			return runProfileCreate(cmd, args[0], workspaceID, setCurrent)
 		},
@@ -186,7 +190,7 @@ func profileCreateAPIKey() string {
 	if flagAPIKey != "" {
 		return flagAPIKey
 	}
-	return os.Getenv("LANGSMITH_API_KEY")
+	return lsconfig.EnvAPIKey()
 }
 
 func profileCreateAPIURL() string {
@@ -210,7 +214,7 @@ func runProfileShow(cmd *cobra.Command, profileName string) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("profile %q not found", profileName)
 	}
 
-	activeName := cfg.ResolveProfileName(flagProfile, profileEnvName())
+	activeName := activeProfileName(cfg)
 	item := profileShowItem{
 		Name:           profileName,
 		Active:         profileName == activeName,
@@ -225,6 +229,7 @@ func runProfileShow(cmd *cobra.Command, profileName string) error {
 
 	if GetFormat() == "pretty" {
 		renderProfileShowTable(cmd, item)
+		printProfileAuthNote(cmd)
 		return nil
 	}
 	enc := json.NewEncoder(cmd.OutOrStdout())
@@ -291,7 +296,7 @@ func runProfileList(cmd *cobra.Command) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	activeName := cfg.ResolveProfileName(flagProfile, profileEnvName())
+	activeName := activeProfileName(cfg)
 	items := make([]profileListItem, 0, len(cfg.Profiles))
 	for name, profile := range cfg.Profiles {
 		items = append(items, profileListItem{
@@ -312,6 +317,7 @@ func runProfileList(cmd *cobra.Command) error {
 
 	if GetFormat() == "pretty" {
 		renderProfileTable(cmd, items)
+		printProfileAuthNote(cmd)
 		return nil
 	}
 	enc := json.NewEncoder(cmd.OutOrStdout())
@@ -330,6 +336,26 @@ func profileAuthType(profile lsconfig.Profile) string {
 	}
 }
 
+func activeProfileName(cfg *lsconfig.Config) string {
+	if flagAPIKey != "" || lsconfig.EnvAPIKey() != "" {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return cfg.ResolveProfileName(flagProfile, profileEnvName())
+}
+
+func profileAuthNote() string {
+	if lsconfig.EnvAPIKey() != "" {
+		return "LANGSMITH_API_KEY is set and takes precedence over saved profiles."
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
+func printProfileAuthNote(cmd *cobra.Command) {
+	if note := profileAuthNote(); note != "" {
+		fmt.Fprintln(cmd.OutOrStdout(), note)
+	}
+}
+
 func profileEnvName() string {
 	return strings.TrimSpace(os.Getenv("LANGSMITH_PROFILE"))
 }
diff --git a/internal/cmd/profile_test.go b/internal/cmd/profile_test.go
index 4547291..df44b91 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/profile_test.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/profile_test.go
@@ -238,6 +238,7 @@ func TestProfileShowDoesNotExposeSecrets(t *testing.T) {
 	configPath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.json")
 	t.Setenv("LANGSMITH_CONFIG_FILE", configPath)
 	t.Setenv("LANGSMITH_PROFILE", "")
+	t.Setenv("LANGSMITH_API_KEY", "")
 	apiKey := "test-profile-api-key"
 	accessToken := "test-access-token"
 	refreshToken := "test-refresh-token"
@@ -296,6 +297,7 @@ func TestProfileDisplayTrimsEnvProfile(t *testing.T) {
 	configPath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.json")
 	t.Setenv("LANGSMITH_CONFIG_FILE", configPath)
 	t.Setenv("LANGSMITH_PROFILE", " prod ")
+	t.Setenv("LANGSMITH_API_KEY", "")
 	if err := os.WriteFile(configPath, []byte(`{
   "current_profile": "dev",
   "profiles": {
@@ -336,6 +338,88 @@ func TestProfileDisplayTrimsEnvProfile(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestProfileDisplayShowsNoActiveProfileWhenEnvAPIKeyWins(t *testing.T) {
+	oldProfile := flagProfile
+	oldFormat := flagOutputFormat
+	oldAPIKey := flagAPIKey
+	defer func() {
+		flagProfile = oldProfile
+		flagOutputFormat = oldFormat
+		flagAPIKey = oldAPIKey
+	}()
+	flagProfile = ""
+	flagOutputFormat = "json"
+	flagAPIKey = ""
+
+	configPath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.json")
+	t.Setenv("LANGSMITH_CONFIG_FILE", configPath)
+	t.Setenv("LANGSMITH_PROFILE", "dev")
+	t.Setenv("LANGSMITH_API_KEY", "env-api-key")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(configPath, []byte(`{
+  "current_profile": "dev",
+  "profiles": {
+    "dev": {
+      "api_key": "dev-api-key"
+    }
+  }
+}
+`), 0600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	showStdout, err := executeCommand(t, "--format=json", "profile", "show", "dev")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("profile show returned error: %v\nstdout: %s", err, showStdout)
+	}
+	var showResult profileShowItem
+	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(showStdout), &showResult); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("profile show stdout was not JSON: %v\n%s", err, showStdout)
+	}
+	if showResult.Active {
+		t.Fatalf("expected no active profile when env API key wins: %+v", showResult)
+	}
+	if strings.Contains(showStdout, "auth_note") {
+		t.Fatalf("profile show JSON should not include output-only auth note: %s", showStdout)
+	}
+
+	listStdout, err := executeCommand(t, "--format=json", "profile", "list")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("profile list returned error: %v\nstdout: %s", err, listStdout)
+	}
+	var listResult []profileListItem
+	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(listStdout), &listResult); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("profile list stdout was not JSON: %v\n%s", err, listStdout)
+	}
+	if len(listResult) != 1 || listResult[0].Active {
+		t.Fatalf("expected list to show no active profile when env API key wins: %+v", listResult)
+	}
+	if strings.Contains(listStdout, "auth_note") {
+		t.Fatalf("profile list JSON should not include output-only auth note: %s", listStdout)
+	}
+
+	showPretty, err := executeCommand(t, "profile", "show", "dev")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("profile show returned error: %v\nstdout: %s", err, showPretty)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(showPretty, "LANGSMITH_API_KEY is set and takes precedence over saved profiles.") {
+		t.Fatalf("expected env API key note in pretty show output: %s", showPretty)
+	}
+	if strings.Contains(showPretty, "NOTE") {
+		t.Fatalf("did not expect auth note as a table column: %s", showPretty)
+	}
+
+	listPretty, err := executeCommand(t, "profile", "list")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("profile list returned error: %v\nstdout: %s", err, listPretty)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(listPretty, "LANGSMITH_API_KEY is set and takes precedence over saved profiles.") {
+		t.Fatalf("expected env API key note in pretty list output: %s", listPretty)
+	}
+	if strings.Contains(listPretty, "NOTE") {
+		t.Fatalf("did not expect auth note as a table column: %s", listPretty)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestProfileShowNotFound(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Setenv("LANGSMITH_CONFIG_FILE", filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.json"))
 
@@ -498,6 +582,7 @@ func TestProfileSetWorkspace(t *testing.T) {
 	configPath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.json")
 	t.Setenv("LANGSMITH_CONFIG_FILE", configPath)
 	t.Setenv("LANGSMITH_PROFILE", "")
+	t.Setenv("LANGSMITH_API_KEY", "")
 	accessToken := "test-access-token"
 	if err := os.WriteFile(configPath, []byte(`{
   "current_profile": "local",
@@ -568,6 +653,7 @@ func TestProfileListDoesNotExposeSecrets(t *testing.T) {
 	configPath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.json")
 	t.Setenv("LANGSMITH_CONFIG_FILE", configPath)
 	t.Setenv("LANGSMITH_PROFILE", "")
+	t.Setenv("LANGSMITH_API_KEY", "")
 	accessToken := "test-access-token"
 	refreshToken := "test-refresh-token"
 	apiKey := "test-api-key"
diff --git a/internal/cmd/root.go b/internal/cmd/root.go
index f6a1993..24c9cdc 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/root.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/root.go
@@ -168,8 +168,8 @@ func resolveClientOptions(refreshOAuth bool) (client.Options, error) {
 	switch {
 	case flagAPIKey != "":
 		opts.APIKey = flagAPIKey
-	case os.Getenv("LANGSMITH_API_KEY") != "":
-		opts.APIKey = os.Getenv("LANGSMITH_API_KEY")
+	case lsconfig.EnvAPIKey() != "":
+		opts.APIKey = lsconfig.EnvAPIKey()
 	case hasProfile && (profile.AccessToken() != "" || (refreshOAuth && profile.OAuth.RefreshToken != "")):
 		if refreshOAuth && profile.OAuth.RefreshToken != "" &&
 			(profile.AccessToken() == "" || profile.TokenExpiresSoon(time.Now(), time.Minute)) {
diff --git a/internal/cmdutil/resolve.go b/internal/cmdutil/resolve.go
index e4909ee..abc98b7 100644
--- a/internal/cmdutil/resolve.go
+++ b/internal/cmdutil/resolve.go
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ func ResolveAPIKey(cmd *cobra.Command) string {
 	if v := getFlagString(cmd, "api-key"); v != "" {
 		return v
 	}
-	return os.Getenv("LANGSMITH_API_KEY")
+	return lsconfig.EnvAPIKey()
 }
 
 // ResolveAPIURL reads the API URL from cobra's flag tree → env → default.
@@ -146,8 +146,8 @@ func ResolveClientOptions(cmd *cobra.Command, refreshOAuth bool) (client.Options
 	switch {
 	case getFlagString(cmd, "api-key") != "":
 		opts.APIKey = getFlagString(cmd, "api-key")
-	case os.Getenv("LANGSMITH_API_KEY") != "":
-		opts.APIKey = os.Getenv("LANGSMITH_API_KEY")
+	case lsconfig.EnvAPIKey() != "":
+		opts.APIKey = lsconfig.EnvAPIKey()
 	case hasProfile && (profile.AccessToken() != "" || (refreshOAuth && profile.OAuth.RefreshToken != "")):
 		if refreshOAuth && profile.OAuth.RefreshToken != "" &&
 			(profile.AccessToken() == "" || profile.TokenExpiresSoon(time.Now(), time.Minute)) {
diff --git a/internal/config/config.go b/internal/config/config.go
index e80ee86..9a8c908 100644
--- a/internal/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/config/config.go
@@ -14,6 +14,10 @@ const (
 	DefaultAPIURL = "https://api.smith.langchain.com"
 )
 
+func EnvAPIKey() string {
+	return os.Getenv("LANGSMITH_API_KEY")
+}
+
 // Profile represents one named LangSmith CLI profile.
 type Profile struct {
 	APIKey      string `json:"api_key,omitempty"`