diff --git a/config/config.yml.example b/config/config.yml.example
index 691cd71933..b8ecd2a8ec 100644
--- a/config/config.yml.example
+++ b/config/config.yml.example
@@ -273,6 +273,9 @@ development: &default
   devise_unlock_accounts_after: 1
   login_rate_limit: 10
   api_rate_limit: 100
+
+  session_store_key: '_checkdesk_session_dev'
+  session_store_domain: 'localhost'
 test:
   <<: *default
   checkdesk_base_url_private: http://api:3000
diff --git a/config/initializers/session_store.rb b/config/initializers/session_store.rb
index 60cbc047fe..11bbb93af5 100644
--- a/config/initializers/session_store.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/session_store.rb
@@ -1,20 +1,8 @@
-# Be sure to restart your server when you modify this file.
+# config/initializers/session_store.rb
 
-# Retrieve the session key name based on the environment using CheckConfig.
-# Provide default values specific to each environment.
-
-# Default keys by environment
-default_keys = {
-  production: '_checkdesk_session',
-  development: '_checkdesk_session_dev',
-  test: '_checkdesk_session_test'
-}
-
-# Get the environment specific session key or default to a predefined value.
-cookie_key = CheckConfig.get('session_key', default_keys[Rails.env.to_sym])
-
-# Set the domain for the session cookies based on the environment.
-domain_setting = Rails.env.development? ? 'localhost' : '.checkmedia.org'
+# Retrieve the session key and domain based on the environment using CheckConfig.
+cookie_key = CheckConfig.get('session_store_key', '_checkdesk_session')
+domain_setting = CheckConfig.get('session_store_domain', Rails.env.development? ? 'localhost' : '.checkmedia.org')
 
 # Configure the session store with the dynamically obtained session key and domain.
 Rails.application.config.session_store :cookie_store, key: cookie_key, domain: domain_setting
diff --git a/test/lib/check_session_store_test.rb b/test/lib/check_session_store_test.rb
index 6aa63382bd..f379290398 100644
--- a/test/lib/check_session_store_test.rb
+++ b/test/lib/check_session_store_test.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 require 'test_helper'
 
 class SessionStoreTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
-  # Helper to temporarily override Rails.env
   def with_environment(env)
     original_env = Rails.env
     Rails.singleton_class.class_eval do
@@ -14,40 +13,24 @@ def with_environment(env)
     end
   end
 
-  test "session store configuration in development" do
-    with_environment('development') do
-      load Rails.root.join('config/initializers/session_store.rb')
-      assert_equal ActionDispatch::Session::CookieStore, Rails.application.config.session_store
-      assert_equal '_checkdesk_session_dev', Rails.application.config.session_options[:key]
-      assert_equal 'localhost', Rails.application.config.session_options[:domain]
-    end
-  end
-
-  test "session store configuration in test" do
-    with_environment('test') do
-      load Rails.root.join('config/initializers/session_store.rb')
-      assert_equal ActionDispatch::Session::CookieStore, Rails.application.config.session_store
-      assert_equal '_checkdesk_session_test', Rails.application.config.session_options[:key]
-      assert_equal '.checkmedia.org', Rails.application.config.session_options[:domain]
-    end
-  end
-
-  test "session store configuration in production with default key" do
+  test "session store configuration with default key and domain when config values are not set" do
     with_environment('production') do
-      load Rails.root.join('config/initializers/session_store.rb')
-      assert_equal ActionDispatch::Session::CookieStore, Rails.application.config.session_store
-      assert_equal '_checkdesk_session', Rails.application.config.session_options[:key]
-      assert_equal '.checkmedia.org', Rails.application.config.session_options[:domain]
+      stub_configs({ 'session_store_key' => nil, 'session_store_domain' => nil }) do
+        load Rails.root.join('config/initializers/session_store.rb')
+        assert_equal ActionDispatch::Session::CookieStore, Rails.application.config.session_store
+        assert_equal '_checkdesk_session', Rails.application.config.session_options[:key]
+        assert_equal '.checkmedia.org', Rails.application.config.session_options[:domain]
+      end
     end
   end
 
-  test "session store configuration in production with overriding key in config" do
+  test "session store configuration with overriding key and domain in config" do
     with_environment('production') do
-      stub_configs({ 'session_key' => '_checkdesk_session_qa' }) do
+      stub_configs({ 'session_store_key' => '_checkdesk_session_qa', 'session_store_domain' => 'qa.checkmedia.org' }) do
         load Rails.root.join('config/initializers/session_store.rb')
         assert_equal ActionDispatch::Session::CookieStore, Rails.application.config.session_store
         assert_equal '_checkdesk_session_qa', Rails.application.config.session_options[:key]
-        assert_equal '.checkmedia.org', Rails.application.config.session_options[:domain]
+        assert_equal 'qa.checkmedia.org', Rails.application.config.session_options[:domain]
       end
     end
   end