[Bug] Cannot setup remote control via API key

[jackrosenberg]

Is this a support request?

• This is not a support request

Is there an existing issue for this?

• I have searched the existing issues

Current Behavior

on client:
headscale nodes list

2026-08-01T18:45:51+02:00 WRN no config file found, using defaults
Error: connecting to headscale: connecting to https://headscale.`secret-url`: context deadline exceeded

sudo headscale nodes list

2026-08-01T18:39:34+02:00 WRN no config file found, using defaults
Error: connecting to headscale: connecting to /var/run/headscale/headscale.sock: context deadline exceeded

Expected Behavior

headscale nodes list

ID | Hostname       | Name           | MachineKey | NodeKey | User    | Tags | IP addresses      | Ephemeral | Last seen           | Expiration | Connected | Expired
data ...............................................

Steps To Reproduce

1. headscale apikeys create --expiration 90d (on server)
2. export env vars as in https://headscale.net/development/ref/api/#setup-remote-control
3. try remote control

Environment

- OS:
NixOS: 26.11.20260729.0954f7e (Zokor)
- Headscale version:
headscale version 0.29.2
commit: v0.29.2
build time: unknown
built with: go1.26.5 linux/amd64
- Tailscale version:
1.98.9
  long version: 1.98.9
  go version: go1.26.5

Runtime environment

• Headscale is behind a (reverse) proxy
• Headscale runs in a container

Debug information

Maybe related to #523?
Whats weird is that the following does work :

curl -H "Authorization: Bearer hskey-api-`key`" \
                                    https://headscale.`secret-url`/api/v1/user

{"users":[{"id":"1","name":"olympus","createdAt":"2026-06-27T18:49:28.889898271Z","displayName":"","email":"","providerId":"","provider":"","profilePicUrl":""}]}