diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-test.yaml b/.github/workflows/e2e-test.yaml
index 7c9fe989..de33b871 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-test.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-test.yaml
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ jobs:
           mvn $MVN_ARGS
         env:
           # See "End-to-end test application instructions" on the README.md to update the secret
-          aicore: ${{ secrets.AICORE_SERVICE_KEY }}
+          AICORE_SERVICE_KEY: ${{ secrets.AICORE_SERVICE_KEY }}
 
       - name: "Start Application Locally"
         run: |
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ jobs:
           done
         env:
           # See "End-to-end test application instructions" on the README.md to update the secret
-          aicore: ${{ secrets.AICORE_SERVICE_KEY }}
+          AICORE_SERVICE_KEY: ${{ secrets.AICORE_SERVICE_KEY }}
 
       - name: "Health Check"
         # print response body with headers to stdout.  q:body only  O:print  -:stdout  S:headers
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 813d9450..abb1aab2 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -407,13 +407,16 @@ For more customization, creating a [HeaderProvider](https://sap.github.io/cloud-
 
 ### Set AI Core credentials as environment variable
 
+- Running the application locally without a service binding will throw:
+
+  `Could not find any matching service bindings for service identifier 'aicore'`
 - Go into the BTP Cockpit
 - Instances and Subscriptions -> Instances -> AI Core -> View Credentials -> Copy JSON
-- Set it as an environment variable `aicore` in your IDE
+- Set it as an environment variable `AICORE_SERVICE_KEY` in your IDE
 
   Or in your terminal:
 ```shell
-export aicore='{   "serviceurls": {     "AI_API_URL": ...'
+export AICORE_SERVICE_KEY='{   "serviceurls": {     "AI_API_URL": ...'
 ```
 
 ### Run the Spring Boot application
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/sap/ai/sdk/core/Core.java b/core/src/main/java/com/sap/ai/sdk/core/Core.java
index 0ccf5cc5..d831b6b4 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/sap/ai/sdk/core/Core.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/sap/ai/sdk/core/Core.java
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ private static String getOrchestrationDeployment(@Nonnull final String resourceG
 
   /**
    * <b>Requires an AI Core service binding OR a service key in the environment variable {@code
-   * aicore}.</b>
+   * AICORE_SERVICE_KEY}.</b>
    *
    * @return a generic <code>AI Core</code> ApiClient.
    */
@@ -115,13 +115,13 @@ public static ApiClient getClient(@Nonnull final Destination destination) {
 
   /**
    * <b>Requires an AI Core service binding OR a service key in the environment variable {@code
-   * aicore}.</b>
+   * AICORE_SERVICE_KEY}.</b>
    *
    * @return a destination pointing to the AI Core service.
    */
   @Nonnull
   public static Destination getDestination() {
-    final var serviceKey = System.getenv("aicore");
+    final var serviceKey = System.getenv("AICORE_SERVICE_KEY");
     final var serviceKeyPresent = serviceKey != null;
     final var aiCoreBindingPresent =
         DefaultServiceBindingAccessor.getInstance().getServiceBindings().stream()
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ public static Destination getDestination() {
   private static void addServiceBinding(@Nonnull final String serviceKey) {
     log.info(
         """
-          Found a service key in environment variable "aicore".
+          Found a service key in environment variable "AICORE_SERVICE_KEY".
           Using a service key is recommended for local testing only.
           Bind the AI Core service to the application for productive usage.""");
 
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ private static void addServiceBinding(@Nonnull final String serviceKey) {
       credentials = new ObjectMapper().readValue(serviceKey, new TypeReference<>() {});
     } catch (JsonProcessingException e) {
       throw new AiCoreCredentialsInvalidException(
-          "Error in parsing service key from the \"aicore\" environment variable.", e);
+          "Error in parsing service key from the \"AICORE_SERVICE_KEY\" environment variable.", e);
     }
 
     final var binding =
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/com/sap/ai/sdk/core/CoreTest.java b/core/src/test/java/com/sap/ai/sdk/core/CoreTest.java
index e4d34b0f..d76c1828 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/com/sap/ai/sdk/core/CoreTest.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/com/sap/ai/sdk/core/CoreTest.java
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ public class CoreTest {
   @Test
   @SneakyThrows
   void getDestinationWithoutEnvVarFailsLocally() {
-    variables.set("aicore", null);
+    variables.set("AICORE_SERVICE_KEY", null);
     assertThatThrownBy(Core::getDestination)
         .isExactlyInstanceOf(DestinationAccessException.class)
         .hasMessage("Could not find any matching service bindings for service identifier 'aicore'");
@@ -28,17 +28,17 @@ void getDestinationWithoutEnvVarFailsLocally() {
   @Test
   @SneakyThrows
   void getDestinationWithBrokenEnvVarFailsLocally() {
-    variables.set("aicore", "");
+    variables.set("AICORE_SERVICE_KEY", "");
     assertThatThrownBy(Core::getDestination)
         .isExactlyInstanceOf(Core.AiCoreCredentialsInvalidException.class)
-        .hasMessage("Error in parsing service key from the \"aicore\" environment variable.");
+        .hasMessage("Error in parsing service key from the \"AICORE_SERVICE_KEY\" environment variable.");
   }
 
   @Test
   @SneakyThrows
   void getDestinationWithEnvVarSucceedsLocally() {
     variables.set(
-        "aicore",
+        "AICORE_SERVICE_KEY",
         """
         {
           "clientid": "",