diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index c7b09e7..31a25e3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -18,3 +18,20 @@ jobs:
           node-version: ${{ matrix.node }}
       # The scaffolder is zero-dependency — the suite runs on bare node.
       - run: npm test
+
+  # The template must honor its documented .env contract: CHAIN_ID selects the
+  # chain (regression: it used to be silently ignored — everything hit the default).
+  template-config:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+        with:
+          node-version: 22
+      - run: npm ci
+        working-directory: template
+      - name: CHAIN_ID env must select the chain
+        run: CHAIN_ID=121214 npm run gen-config | grep -q "chain 121214"
+        working-directory: template
+      - run: npm run typecheck
+        working-directory: template
diff --git a/template/scripts/demo.ts b/template/scripts/demo.ts
index 331d447..d4f7263 100644
--- a/template/scripts/demo.ts
+++ b/template/scripts/demo.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import { eip1193FromAccount } from "../lib/eip1193Node.js";
 import { deployVault } from "./deploy.js";
 import * as rome from "../lib/rome.js";
 
-const cfg = loadConfig({ proxyUrl: process.env.PROXY_URL, solanaRpc: process.env.SOLANA_RPC });
+const cfg = loadConfig({ chainId: process.env.CHAIN_ID ? Number(process.env.CHAIN_ID) : undefined, proxyUrl: process.env.PROXY_URL, solanaRpc: process.env.SOLANA_RPC });
 const evm = privateKeyToAccount(process.env.EVM_KEY as `0x${string}`);
 const sol = Keypair.fromSecretKey(Uint8Array.from(JSON.parse(process.env.SOLANA_KEY!)));
 const solSign = async (tx: any) => { tx.partialSign(sol); return tx; };
diff --git a/template/scripts/deploy.ts b/template/scripts/deploy.ts
index 494fea3..08a1d02 100644
--- a/template/scripts/deploy.ts
+++ b/template/scripts/deploy.ts
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ export async function deployVault(cfg: RomeConfig, account: Account): Promise<`0
 
 // `npm run deploy`
 if (import.meta.url === `file://${process.argv[1]}`) {
-  const cfg = loadConfig({ proxyUrl: process.env.PROXY_URL, solanaRpc: process.env.SOLANA_RPC });
+  const cfg = loadConfig({ chainId: process.env.CHAIN_ID ? Number(process.env.CHAIN_ID) : undefined, proxyUrl: process.env.PROXY_URL, solanaRpc: process.env.SOLANA_RPC });
   const account = privateKeyToAccount(process.env.EVM_KEY as `0x${string}`);
   const vault = await deployVault(cfg, account);
   console.log("Vault deployed:", vault);
diff --git a/template/scripts/gen-config.ts b/template/scripts/gen-config.ts
index cfa236b..a495aff 100644
--- a/template/scripts/gen-config.ts
+++ b/template/scripts/gen-config.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import "dotenv/config";
 import { writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
 import { loadConfig } from "../lib/config.js";
 
-const cfg = loadConfig({ proxyUrl: process.env.PROXY_URL, solanaRpc: process.env.SOLANA_RPC });
+const cfg = loadConfig({ chainId: process.env.CHAIN_ID ? Number(process.env.CHAIN_ID) : undefined, proxyUrl: process.env.PROXY_URL, solanaRpc: process.env.SOLANA_RPC });
 const out = { ...cfg, vault: (process.env.VAULT_ADDRESS || null) as string | null };
 writeFileSync(new URL("../src/config.generated.json", import.meta.url), JSON.stringify(out, null, 2) + "\n");
 console.log("wrote src/config.generated.json —", `chain ${out.chainId}`, out.vault ? `vault ${out.vault}` : "(deploy a Vault, then set VAULT_ADDRESS)");