diff --git a/crates/api_clients/artcraft/artcraft_api_keys/src/lib.rs b/crates/api_clients/artcraft/artcraft_api_keys/src/lib.rs
index 7217e37284..05d290fa25 100644
--- a/crates/api_clients/artcraft/artcraft_api_keys/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/api_clients/artcraft/artcraft_api_keys/src/lib.rs
@@ -28,16 +28,18 @@ impl ArtcraftApiKey {
     parse_from_header_value(header_value)
   }
 
-  pub fn as_str(&self) -> &str {
+  /// The full, unredacted key value as a borrowed `&str`.
+  ///
+  /// NB: unlike `Display`/`Debug` (which redact), this exposes the complete secret — the
+  /// `_be_careful` suffix is a reminder to use it only where the real value is genuinely needed
+  /// (storage, the create-key response, tests), never in logs or error messages.
+  pub fn as_str_be_careful(&self) -> &str {
     &self.0
   }
 
-  /// The full, unredacted key value as an owned `String`.
-  ///
-  /// NB: unlike `Display`/`Debug` (which redact), this returns the complete secret — use it only
-  /// where the real value is needed (storage, the create-key response, tests).
-  #[allow(clippy::inherent_to_string_shadow_display)]
-  pub fn to_string(&self) -> String {
+  /// The full, unredacted key value as an owned `String`. See [`Self::as_str_be_careful`] for the
+  /// caveat behind the `_be_careful` suffix.
+  pub fn to_string_be_careful(&self) -> String {
     self.0.clone()
   }
 
@@ -70,7 +72,7 @@ mod tests {
   #[test]
   fn new_from_str_and_as_str_round_trip() {
     let key = ArtcraftApiKey::new_from_str(SAMPLE_KEY);
-    assert_eq!(key.as_str(), SAMPLE_KEY);
+    assert_eq!(key.as_str_be_careful(), SAMPLE_KEY);
     assert_eq!(key.0, SAMPLE_KEY);
   }
 
diff --git a/crates/api_clients/artcraft/artcraft_api_keys/src/parse_from_header_value.rs b/crates/api_clients/artcraft/artcraft_api_keys/src/parse_from_header_value.rs
index 1acca19c5e..61bdfce32c 100644
--- a/crates/api_clients/artcraft/artcraft_api_keys/src/parse_from_header_value.rs
+++ b/crates/api_clients/artcraft/artcraft_api_keys/src/parse_from_header_value.rs
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ mod tests {
   const SAMPLE_KEY: &str = "artcraft_api_55ax0zhd580m598r6n4n7szdwjb2b28sypapvawh";
 
   fn parsed(header_value: &str) -> Option<String> {
-    parse_from_header_value(header_value).map(|key| key.to_string())
+    parse_from_header_value(header_value).map(|key| key.to_string_be_careful())
   }
 
   #[test]
@@ -120,6 +120,6 @@ mod tests {
   #[test]
   fn returns_an_artcraft_api_key() {
     let key = parse_from_header_value(&format!("Bearer {SAMPLE_KEY}")).expect("should parse");
-    assert_eq!(key.as_str(), SAMPLE_KEY);
+    assert_eq!(key.as_str_be_careful(), SAMPLE_KEY);
   }
 }
diff --git a/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/http_server/endpoints/api_keys/create_api_key_handler.rs b/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/http_server/endpoints/api_keys/create_api_key_handler.rs
index 383443d370..a40d9a9e92 100644
--- a/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/http_server/endpoints/api_keys/create_api_key_handler.rs
+++ b/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/http_server/endpoints/api_keys/create_api_key_handler.rs
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ pub async fn create_api_key_handler(
     ip_address: &ip_address,
     name: &name,
     maybe_description: maybe_description.as_deref(),
-    api_key: api_key.as_str(),
+    api_key: api_key.as_str_be_careful(),
     mysql_executor: &mut *conn,
     phantom: PhantomData,
   }).await.map_err(|err| {
@@ -88,6 +88,6 @@ pub async fn create_api_key_handler(
     api_key_token: token,
     // Return the full secret value (never the redacted Debug/Display form). This is the only
     // time it is ever exposed.
-    api_key: api_key.to_string(),
+    api_key: api_key.to_string_be_careful(),
   }))
 }
diff --git a/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/http_server/web_utils/get_authorization_header_api_key.rs b/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/http_server/web_utils/get_authorization_header_api_key.rs
index b32489d69f..fad5f03ba2 100644
--- a/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/http_server/web_utils/get_authorization_header_api_key.rs
+++ b/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/http_server/web_utils/get_authorization_header_api_key.rs
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ mod tests {
             .insert_header((header_name, value.as_str()))
             .to_http_request();
         assert_eq!(
-          get_authorization_header_api_key(&http_request).map(|key| key.to_string()),
+          get_authorization_header_api_key(&http_request).map(|key| key.to_string_be_careful()),
           Some(SAMPLE_KEY.to_string()),
           "failed for header name {header_name:?}");
       }
@@ -132,13 +132,13 @@ mod tests {
 
   fn parse_authorization_header_api_key(header_value: &str) -> Option<String> {
     ArtcraftApiKey::parse_from_authorization_header_value(header_value)
-        .map(|key| key.to_string())
+        .map(|key| key.to_string_be_careful())
   }
 
   fn api_key_for_authorization_header(value: &str) -> Option<String> {
     let http_request = TestRequest::default()
         .insert_header(("Authorization", value))
         .to_http_request();
-    get_authorization_header_api_key(&http_request).map(|key| key.to_string())
+    get_authorization_header_api_key(&http_request).map(|key| key.to_string_be_careful())
   }
 }
diff --git a/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/util/generate_api_key.rs b/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/util/generate_api_key.rs
index 10f7c3e770..9ea2c8e10e 100644
--- a/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/util/generate_api_key.rs
+++ b/crates/service/web/storyteller_web/src/util/generate_api_key.rs
@@ -54,19 +54,19 @@ mod tests {
 
   #[test]
   fn starts_with_prefix() {
-    assert!(generate_api_key().as_str().starts_with("artcraft_api_"));
-    assert!(generate_api_key().as_str().starts_with(API_KEY_PREFIX));
+    assert!(generate_api_key().as_str_be_careful().starts_with("artcraft_api_"));
+    assert!(generate_api_key().as_str_be_careful().starts_with(API_KEY_PREFIX));
   }
 
   #[test]
   fn has_expected_total_length() {
-    assert_eq!(generate_api_key().as_str().len(), API_KEY_PREFIX.len() + ENTROPY_CHAR_COUNT);
+    assert_eq!(generate_api_key().as_str_be_careful().len(), API_KEY_PREFIX.len() + ENTROPY_CHAR_COUNT);
   }
 
   #[test]
   fn entropy_suffix_is_crockford_lowercase() {
     let key = generate_api_key();
-    let suffix = key.as_str().strip_prefix(API_KEY_PREFIX).expect("key must start with the prefix");
+    let suffix = key.as_str_be_careful().strip_prefix(API_KEY_PREFIX).expect("key must start with the prefix");
 
     assert_eq!(suffix.len(), ENTROPY_CHAR_COUNT);
     for byte in suffix.bytes() {
@@ -84,21 +84,21 @@ mod tests {
   fn forbidden_characters_are_absent() {
     let key = generate_api_key();
     for forbidden in ['.', '+', '/'] {
-      assert!(!key.as_str().contains(forbidden), "key must not contain {:?}", forbidden);
+      assert!(!key.as_str_be_careful().contains(forbidden), "key must not contain {:?}", forbidden);
     }
   }
 
   #[test]
   fn underscores_only_appear_in_the_prefix() {
     let key = generate_api_key();
-    let suffix = key.as_str().strip_prefix(API_KEY_PREFIX).expect("key must start with the prefix");
+    let suffix = key.as_str_be_careful().strip_prefix(API_KEY_PREFIX).expect("key must start with the prefix");
     assert!(!suffix.contains('_'), "the random body must not contain underscores");
   }
 
   #[test]
   fn entropy_suffix_is_alphanumeric() {
     let key = generate_api_key();
-    let suffix = key.as_str().strip_prefix(API_KEY_PREFIX).expect("key must start with the prefix");
+    let suffix = key.as_str_be_careful().strip_prefix(API_KEY_PREFIX).expect("key must start with the prefix");
     assert!(suffix.chars().all(|c| c.is_ascii_alphanumeric()));
   }