diff --git a/api/main.py b/api/main.py
index f518325..7a05ba9 100644
--- a/api/main.py
+++ b/api/main.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import os
 from fastapi import FastAPI
 from typing import Optional
 from temporalio.client import Client
@@ -11,7 +12,7 @@ from workflows.agent_goal_workflow import AgentGoalWorkflow
 from models.data_types import CombinedInput, AgentGoalWorkflowParams
 from tools.goal_registry import goal_list
 from fastapi.middleware.cors import CORSMiddleware
-from shared.config import get_temporal_client, TEMPORAL_TASK_QUEUE, AGENT_GOAL
+from shared.config import get_temporal_client, TEMPORAL_TASK_QUEUE
 
 app = FastAPI()
 temporal_client: Optional[Client] = None
@@ -22,13 +23,10 @@ load_dotenv()
 
 def get_initial_agent_goal():
     """Get the agent goal from environment variables."""
-    if AGENT_GOAL is not None:
-        for listed_goal in goal_list:
-            if listed_goal.id == AGENT_GOAL:
-                return listed_goal
-    else:
-        #if no goal is set in the config file, default to choosing an agent
-        return goal_list.get("goal_choose_agent_type")
+    env_goal = os.getenv("AGENT_GOAL", "goal_choose_agent_type") #if no goal is set in the env file, default to choosing an agent
+    for listed_goal in goal_list:
+        if listed_goal.id == env_goal:
+            return listed_goal
 
 
 @app.on_event("startup")
diff --git a/shared/config.py b/shared/config.py
index cb4b9da..9590634 100644
--- a/shared/config.py
+++ b/shared/config.py
@@ -16,11 +16,6 @@ TEMPORAL_TLS_CERT = os.getenv("TEMPORAL_TLS_CERT", "")
 TEMPORAL_TLS_KEY = os.getenv("TEMPORAL_TLS_KEY", "")
 TEMPORAL_API_KEY = os.getenv("TEMPORAL_API_KEY", "")
 
-#Starting agent goal - 1st goal is always to help user pick a next goal
-AGENT_GOAL = "goal_choose_agent_type"
-#AGENT_GOAL = "goal_event_flight_invoice"
-
-
 async def get_temporal_client() -> Client:
     """
     Creates a Temporal client based on environment configuration.