diff --git a/pkg/config/config.go b/pkg/config/config.go
index 663fd1f..0dfb6d7 100644
--- a/pkg/config/config.go
+++ b/pkg/config/config.go
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ type Storage struct {
 	Name    string   `yaml:"name" validate:"required"`
 	Image   string   `yaml:"image" validate:"required"`
 	Volumes []string `yaml:"volumes" validate:"dive,volume_reference"`
-	EnvVars []string `yaml:"env_vars" validate:"dive"`
+	EnvVars []EnvVar `yaml:"env_vars" validate:"dive"`
 }
 
 type Volume struct {
diff --git a/pkg/deployment/deployment.go b/pkg/deployment/deployment.go
index c796a67..a575c4a 100644
--- a/pkg/deployment/deployment.go
+++ b/pkg/deployment/deployment.go
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ func (d *Deployment) startStorage(storage *config.Storage, network string) error
 		Name:    storage.Name,
 		Image:   storage.Image,
 		Volumes: storage.Volumes,
+		EnvVars: storage.EnvVars,
 	}
 	if err := d.startContainer(service, network, ""); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to start container for %s: %v", storage.Image, err)
diff --git a/schemas/ftl-schema.json b/schemas/ftl-schema.json
index 8177326..faeb2f2 100644
--- a/schemas/ftl-schema.json
+++ b/schemas/ftl-schema.json
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@
       "type": "array",
       "items": {
         "type": "object",
-        "required": ["name", "image"],
+        "required": ["name", "image", "volumes"],
         "properties": {
           "name": { "type": "string" },
           "image": { "type": "string" },
@@ -110,7 +110,17 @@
           },
           "env_vars": {
             "type": "array",
-            "items": { "type": "string" }
+            "items": {
+              "type": "object",
+              "properties": {
+                "name": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                "value": {
+                  "type": "string"
+                }
+              }
+            }
           }
         }
       }