diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 93594ef6..1f3ca6fc 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ __pycache__/
 .venv/
 .vscode/
 .vs/
-.env
+*.env
 env.py
 *.py[cod]
 *.sqlite3
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 77b9c5ac..16205e70 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -6,18 +6,9 @@ services:
     volumes:
       - ./staticfiles/:/hackathon-app/staticfiles/
       - ./data/:/hackathon-app/data/
-    environment: 
-      DEVELOPMENT: 1
-      SECRET_KEY: "your_secret_key_here"
-      SITE_NAME: "*"
-      SLACK_ENABLED: "True"
-      SHOWCASE_SPOTLIGHT_NUMBER: 5
-      SUPPORT_EMAIL: community@example.com
-      DBHOST: mysql
-      DBPORT: 3306
-      DBNAME: hackathons
-      DBUSER: hackathon_user
-      DBPASS: gummyball
+      - ./.env:/hackathon-app/.env
+    environment:
+      - ENV_FILE=/hackathon-app/.env
     entrypoint: ['python3', 'manage.py', 'runserver', '0.0.0.0:8000']
     ports:
       - "8000:8000"
diff --git a/main/settings.py b/main/settings.py
index a6664843..9f7f0868 100644
--- a/main/settings.py
+++ b/main/settings.py
@@ -1,21 +1,25 @@
 import os
 
-import dj_database_url
+from django.core.management.utils import get_random_secret_key
 import sentry_sdk
 from sentry_sdk.integrations.django import DjangoIntegration
 
-if os.path.exists(".env"):
-    from dotenv import load_dotenv
-    load_dotenv()
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
+
+ENV_FILE = os.getenv('ENV_FILE', '.env')
+
+if ENV_FILE:
+    load_dotenv(ENV_FILE)
+
 
 BASE_DIR = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
 
-SECRET_KEY = os.environ.get("SECRET_KEY")
+SECRET_KEY = os.environ.get("SECRET_KEY", get_random_secret_key())
 
 DEBUG = "DEVELOPMENT" in os.environ
 
 ALLOWED_HOSTS = []
-host = os.environ.get("SITE_NAME")
+host = os.environ.get("SITE_NAME", '*')
 if host:
     ALLOWED_HOSTS.append(host)
 
diff --git a/manage.py b/manage.py
index 063eaccf..fada5c83 100644
--- a/manage.py
+++ b/manage.py
@@ -3,6 +3,13 @@
 import os
 import sys
 
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
+
+ENV_FILE = os.getenv('ENV_FILE', 'secrets.env')
+
+if ENV_FILE:
+    load_dotenv(ENV_FILE)
+
 
 def main():
     os.environ.setdefault('DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE', 'main.settings')