diff --git a/.env.template b/.env.template
index 514a590..162e9c8 100644
--- a/.env.template
+++ b/.env.template
@@ -3,8 +3,6 @@ export AWS_ACCOUNT=
 export AWS_PROFILE=
 export AWS_REGION=
 export AWS__EFS__LOCAL_MOUNT_POINT=
-export AWS__S3__MEDIA_BUCKET=
-export AWS__S3__MEDIA_TARGETS=
 export DIRECTUS__API_TOKEN=
 export DIRECTUS__BASE_URL=
 export DISCORD__BOT_TOKEN=
@@ -15,6 +13,8 @@ export I3__DMENU_FONT_SIZE=
 export I3__GLOBAL_FONT_SIZE=
 export I3__MODEL_CONFIG=
 export LINEAR__API_TOKEN=
+export MEDIA_SYNC__S3_BUCKET
+export MEDIA_SYNC__TARGETS
 export REDIS_AUTH=
 export REDIS_HOST=
 export REDIS_PORT=
diff --git a/.env.template.descriptions b/.env.template.descriptions
index d80d498..94cee42 100644
--- a/.env.template.descriptions
+++ b/.env.template.descriptions
@@ -4,9 +4,6 @@ AWS_REGION   |
 
 AWS__EFS__LOCAL_MOUNT_POINT  | fully-qualified path to mount the EFS drive
 
-AWS__S3__MEDIA_BUCKET   | s3 bucket name and filesystem targets for media backups
-AWS__S3__MEDIA_TARGETS  |
-
 DIRECTUS__API_TOKEN | details for a directus instance
 DIRECTUS__BASE_URL  |
 
@@ -21,6 +18,9 @@ I3__MODEL_CONFIG        |
 
 LINEAR__API_TOKEN  | linear.app project management configuration
 
+MEDIA_SYNC__S3_BUCKET | s3 bucket name and filesystem targets for media backups
+MEDIA_SYNC__TARGETS   |
+
 REDIS_AUTH  | redis connection credentials
 REDIS_HOST  |
 REDIS_PORT  |
diff --git a/run b/run
index 5eccf9e..9c0e59d 100755
--- a/run
+++ b/run
@@ -217,6 +217,11 @@ __RUN() {
 		export ENV_NAME
 	}
 
+	for f in $(eval 'echo $SCWRYPTS_STATIC_CONFIG__'$SCWRYPT_GROUP)
+	do
+		source "$f" || FAIL 5 "invalid static config '$f'"
+	done
+
 	##########################################
 
 	[ ! $SUBSCWRYPT ] \
diff --git a/zsh/scwrypts/environment/synchronize b/zsh/scwrypts/environment/synchronize
index 98ff59f..63b3088 100755
--- a/zsh/scwrypts/environment/synchronize
+++ b/zsh/scwrypts/environment/synchronize
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ ADD_LINES() {
 	do
 		VARIABLE=$(echo $LINE | sed 's/=.*$//')
 		echo $CONTENT | grep -qi "^$VARIABLE" || {
-			echo $LINE | grep -qi '__[a-z_]\+=' || {
+			echo $LINE | grep -q '__[a-z_]\+=' || {
 				WARNING "skipping variable $(echo $LINE | sed 's/^export //; s/=.*//')
 					(must be included in a template before it can be added)"
 				continue
@@ -142,6 +142,7 @@ READ_POPULATED_VARIABLES() {
 		| awk '/^[^=]+$/{printf "%s_____",$0;next}7' \
 		| sed 's/\(_____\)\(export\)/\1\n\2/; s/\(_____\)$/\1\n/' \
 		| sed 's/^.*_____.*$/_____&/' \
+		| sed 's/^_____export/export/' \
 		| sed -z 's/[\n
] *_____/_____/g' \
 		| grep -v '^$' \
 		;