diff --git a/skills/watch/scripts/config.py b/skills/watch/scripts/config.py
index 313ac27..988cebe 100644
--- a/skills/watch/scripts/config.py
+++ b/skills/watch/scripts/config.py
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ CONFIG_FILE = CONFIG_DIR / '.env'
 DEFAULT_DETAIL = 'balanced'
 DETAILS = {'transcript', 'efficient', 'balanced', 'token-burner'}
 BACKENDS = {'auto', 'groq', 'openai', 'whisperx', 'none'}
+ENGINES = {'auto', 'gemini', 'local'}
+DEFAULT_GEMINI_MODEL = 'gemini-3.7-flash'
 
 
 class ConfigError(ValueError):
@@ -107,6 +109,26 @@ def load_api_key(preferred: str | None = None) -> tuple[str | None, str | None]:
     return None, None
 
 
+def load_gemini_key() -> str | None:
+    """Environment, then the user config, then a project .env; never logged."""
+    value = os.environ.get('GEMINI_API_KEY', '').strip()
+    if not value:
+        for path in (CONFIG_FILE, Path.cwd() / '.env'):
+            value = read_env_file(path).get('GEMINI_API_KEY', '').strip()
+            if value:
+                break
+    return value or None
+
+
+def resolve_engine(choice: str, has_key: bool) -> str:
+    if choice not in ENGINES:
+        raise ConfigError('WATCH_ENGINE must be auto, gemini, or local.')
+    if choice == 'gemini' and not has_key:
+        raise ConfigError('The gemini engine needs GEMINI_API_KEY in the environment or '
+                          f'{CONFIG_FILE}. Add it, or rerun with --engine local.')
+    return 'gemini' if choice == 'gemini' or (choice == 'auto' and has_key) else 'local'
+
+
 def get_config(*, backend_override: str | None = None) -> dict:
     file_values = read_env_file()
     def setting(name, default=''):
@@ -115,10 +137,16 @@ def get_config(*, backend_override: str | None = None) -> dict:
     backend = backend_override if backend_override is not None else setting('WATCH_WHISPER_BACKEND', 'auto')
     if backend not in BACKENDS:
         raise ConfigError('WATCH_WHISPER_BACKEND must be auto, groq, openai, whisperx, or none.')
+    engine = setting('WATCH_ENGINE', 'auto')
+    if engine not in ENGINES:
+        raise ConfigError('WATCH_ENGINE must be auto, gemini, or local.')
     return {
         'detail': detail if detail in DETAILS else DEFAULT_DETAIL,
         'config_file': str(CONFIG_FILE),
         'whisper_backend': backend,
+        'engine': engine,
+        'gemini_model': setting('WATCH_GEMINI_MODEL', DEFAULT_GEMINI_MODEL) or DEFAULT_GEMINI_MODEL,
+        'gemini_timeout': positive_number(setting('WATCH_GEMINI_TIMEOUT', '600'), 'WATCH_GEMINI_TIMEOUT'),
         'sub_lang': setting('WATCH_SUB_LANG', 'auto'),
         'cookies_file': setting('WATCH_COOKIES_FILE'),
         'cookies_from_browser': setting('WATCH_COOKIES_FROM_BROWSER'),
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 4e69143..e93c196 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ def isolated_user(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
     cwd.mkdir()
     for key in list(os.environ):
         if key.startswith("WATCH_") or key in {
-            "GROQ_API_KEY", "OPENAI_API_KEY", "SETUP_COMPLETE", "XDG_CONFIG_HOME",
+            "GROQ_API_KEY", "OPENAI_API_KEY", "GEMINI_API_KEY", "SETUP_COMPLETE", "XDG_CONFIG_HOME",
         }:
             monkeypatch.delenv(key)
     monkeypatch.setenv("HOME", str(home))
diff --git a/tests/test_config.py b/tests/test_config.py
index 0c6644a..7ec8bde 100644
--- a/tests/test_config.py
+++ b/tests/test_config.py
@@ -74,3 +74,46 @@ def test_user_file_beats_project_file(monkeypatch):
     assert config.load_api_key() == ('groq', 'user-test')
     monkeypatch.setenv('GROQ_API_KEY', 'environment-test')
     assert config.load_api_key() == ('groq', 'environment-test')
+
+
+def test_engine_defaults_to_auto_and_local_without_key():
+    cfg = config.get_config()
+    assert cfg['engine'] == 'auto'
+    assert cfg['gemini_model'] == 'gemini-3.7-flash'
+    assert cfg['gemini_timeout'] == 600.0
+    assert config.load_gemini_key() is None
+    assert config.resolve_engine('auto', has_key=False) == 'local'
+
+
+def test_auto_selects_gemini_when_key_present(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setenv('GEMINI_API_KEY', 'test-key')
+    assert config.load_gemini_key() == 'test-key'
+    assert config.resolve_engine('auto', has_key=True) == 'gemini'
+    assert config.resolve_engine('local', has_key=True) == 'local'
+
+
+def test_gemini_key_lookup_order(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+    config.CONFIG_DIR.mkdir(parents=True)
+    config.CONFIG_FILE.write_text('GEMINI_API_KEY=from-user-file\n')
+    (tmp_path / 'cwd' / '.env').write_text('GEMINI_API_KEY=from-cwd\n')
+    assert config.load_gemini_key() == 'from-user-file'
+    monkeypatch.setenv('GEMINI_API_KEY', 'from-env')
+    assert config.load_gemini_key() == 'from-env'
+    monkeypatch.delenv('GEMINI_API_KEY')
+    config.CONFIG_FILE.write_text('GEMINI_API_KEY=\n')
+    assert config.load_gemini_key() == 'from-cwd'
+
+
+def test_explicit_gemini_without_key_is_a_safe_error():
+    with pytest.raises(config.ConfigError, match='GEMINI_API_KEY'):
+        config.resolve_engine('gemini', has_key=False)
+
+
+def test_invalid_engine_and_timeout_rejected(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setenv('WATCH_ENGINE', 'vertex')
+    with pytest.raises(config.ConfigError, match='WATCH_ENGINE'):
+        config.get_config()
+    monkeypatch.setenv('WATCH_ENGINE', 'auto')
+    monkeypatch.setenv('WATCH_GEMINI_TIMEOUT', '-5')
+    with pytest.raises(config.ConfigError, match='WATCH_GEMINI_TIMEOUT'):
+        config.get_config()