diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index bf61d1d..29969fa 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 node_modules
 test2.js
+.env
diff --git a/bin/www b/bin/www
index 174b217..6a8b314 100644
--- a/bin/www
+++ b/bin/www
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
  * Module dependencies.
  */
 
+require('dotenv').config()
+
 var app = require('../app');
 var debug = require('debug')('react-backend:server');
 var http = require('http');
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 66044d9..64429f6 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -484,6 +484,11 @@
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/detect-libc/-/detect-libc-1.0.3.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha1-+hN8S9aY7fVc1c0CrFWfkaTEups="
     },
+    "dotenv": {
+      "version": "10.0.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/dotenv/-/dotenv-10.0.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-rlBi9d8jpv9Sf1klPjNfFAuWDjKLwTIJJ/VxtoTwIR6hnZxcEOQCZg2oIL3MWBYw5GpUDKOEnND7LXTbIpQ03Q=="
+    },
     "ecc-jsbn": {
       "version": "0.1.2",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/ecc-jsbn/-/ecc-jsbn-0.1.2.tgz",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 28dc050..0b2d7d8 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
     "bcrypt": "^5.0.0",
     "cryptr": "^6.0.2",
     "deepdash": "^5.3.9",
+    "dotenv": "^10.0.0",
     "express": "~4.16.1",
     "express-basic-auth": "^1.2.0",
     "got": "^11.8.1",