diff --git a/cmd/api-server/main.go b/cmd/api-server/main.go
index f859cac..7242c7e 100644
--- a/cmd/api-server/main.go
+++ b/cmd/api-server/main.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"syscall"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/joho/godotenv"
 	"github.com/robindittmar/dttmr-api/internal/api/router"
 	"github.com/robindittmar/dttmr-api/internal/telemetry"
 )
@@ -25,6 +26,8 @@ func main() {
 }
 
 func run(serviceName string, serviceVersion string) error {
+	_ = godotenv.Load(".env")
+
 	baseHandler := slog.NewJSONHandler(os.Stdout, &slog.HandlerOptions{
 		Level: slog.LevelInfo,
 	})
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index d15c163..ac214a6 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ module github.com/robindittmar/dttmr-api
 go 1.26
 
 require (
+	github.com/joho/godotenv v1.5.1
 	go.opentelemetry.io/contrib/instrumentation/net/http/otelhttp v0.69.0
 	go.opentelemetry.io/otel v1.44.0
 	go.opentelemetry.io/otel/exporters/otlp/otlpmetric/otlpmetricgrpc v1.44.0