diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index f423de9..7b4d487 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -184,7 +184,12 @@ func configFromEnv() Config {
 	replicationMaxAttempts := mustParseInt("MAGPIE_REPLICATION_MAX_ATTEMPTS", defaultReplicationMaxAttempts)
 	maxRestoreBytes := mustParseBytes("MAGPIE_MAX_RESTORE_BYTES", defaultMaxRestoreBytes)
 	allowedBuckets := parseSet(os.Getenv("MAGPIE_ALLOWED_BUCKETS"))
+	// MAGPIE_PUBLIC_BUCKETS is a legacy whole-bucket public-read list (e.g. app-uploads).
+	// MAGPIE_PUBLIC_PREFIXES is preferred and takes bucket/prefix values.
 	publicPrefixes := parsePublicPrefixes(os.Getenv("MAGPIE_PUBLIC_PREFIXES"))
+	for bucket := range parseSet(os.Getenv("MAGPIE_PUBLIC_BUCKETS")) {
+		publicPrefixes[bucket] = true
+	}
 	rateLimitPerMinute := mustParseInt("MAGPIE_RATE_LIMIT_PER_MINUTE", 600)
 	trustProxyHeaders := mustParseBool("MAGPIE_TRUST_PROXY_HEADERS", false)
 	allowUnsignedLocal := mustParseBool("MAGPIE_ALLOW_UNSIGNED_PAYLOADS", false)
@@ -297,16 +302,21 @@ func parsePublicPrefixes(raw string) map[string]bool {
 	if value == "none" || value == "false" || value == "0" {
 		return map[string]bool{}
 	}
-	if strings.TrimSpace(raw) != "" {
-		prefixes := parseSet(raw)
-		for prefix := range prefixes {
-			if err := ValidateKey(strings.TrimSuffix(prefix, "/")); err != nil || !strings.Contains(strings.Trim(prefix, "/"), "/") {
-				log.Fatal("MAGPIE_PUBLIC_PREFIXES entries must be bucket/prefix values")
-			}
-		}
-		return prefixes
+	if strings.TrimSpace(raw) == "" {
+		return map[string]bool{}
 	}
-	return map[string]bool{}
+	prefixes := parseSet(raw)
+	for prefix := range prefixes {
+		cleaned := strings.Trim(prefix, "/")
+		if cleaned == "" {
+			log.Fatal("MAGPIE_PUBLIC_PREFIXES entries must not be empty")
+		}
+		// Allow bare bucket names (whole-bucket public read) or bucket/prefix paths.
+		if err := ValidateKey(cleaned); err != nil {
+			log.Fatal("MAGPIE_PUBLIC_PREFIXES entries must be valid bucket or bucket/prefix values")
+		}
+	}
+	return prefixes
 }
 
 func printUsage() {
diff --git a/server.go b/server.go
index 896b808..d48f966 100644
--- a/server.go
+++ b/server.go
@@ -334,8 +334,15 @@ func (s *Server) bucketAllowed(bucket string) bool {
 
 func (s *Server) publicReadAllowed(key string) bool {
 	for prefix := range s.cfg.PublicPrefixes {
-		prefix = strings.TrimSuffix(prefix, "/")
+		prefix = strings.Trim(prefix, "/")
+		if prefix == "" {
+			continue
+		}
+		// Bare bucket name: allow any key under that bucket.
 		if !strings.Contains(prefix, "/") {
+			if key == prefix || strings.HasPrefix(key, prefix+"/") {
+				return true
+			}
 			continue
 		}
 		if key == prefix || strings.HasPrefix(key, prefix+"/") {
diff --git a/server_test.go b/server_test.go
index ee685cb..3f1ea26 100644
--- a/server_test.go
+++ b/server_test.go
@@ -813,7 +813,7 @@ func TestS3PublicPrefixReadCanBeEnabled(t *testing.T) {
 
 	cfg := s3TestConfig()
 	cfg.AllowedBuckets = map[string]bool{"app-uploads": true}
-	cfg.PublicPrefixes = map[string]bool{"app-uploads/avatars": true, "app-uploads": true}
+	cfg.PublicPrefixes = map[string]bool{"app-uploads/avatars": true}
 	srv := httptest.NewServer(NewServer(store, cfg))
 	defer srv.Close()
 
@@ -833,6 +833,31 @@ func TestS3PublicPrefixReadCanBeEnabled(t *testing.T) {
 	_ = readResponseBody(t, privateResp, http.StatusForbidden)
 }
 
+func TestS3PublicBucketReadAllowsWholeBucket(t *testing.T) {
+	store, err := NewFileStore(t.TempDir())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if _, err := store.Put("app-uploads/static_sites/x/favicon.ico", strings.NewReader("ico"), "image/x-icon"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	cfg := s3TestConfig()
+	cfg.AllowedBuckets = map[string]bool{"app-uploads": true}
+	cfg.PublicPrefixes = map[string]bool{"app-uploads": true}
+	srv := httptest.NewServer(NewServer(store, cfg))
+	defer srv.Close()
+
+	resp, err := http.Get(srv.URL + "/app-uploads/static_sites/x/favicon.ico")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	body := readResponseBody(t, resp, http.StatusOK)
+	if string(body) != "ico" {
+		t.Fatalf("public bucket GET body = %q", string(body))
+	}
+}
+
 func TestS3PublicReadHardensActiveContent(t *testing.T) {
 	store, err := NewFileStore(t.TempDir())
 	if err != nil {