diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 8c09c1b..47f283d 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -18,11 +18,14 @@ services:
     build: .
     ports:
       - "8000:8000"
-    env_file:
-      - .env
+    # No required env_file — CI has no .env. Defaults below; for local secrets:
+    #   docker compose --env-file .env up
     environment:
-      DJANGO_ENV: dev
-      DATABASE_URL: postgres://company_site:company_site@db:5432/company_site
+      DJANGO_ENV: ${DJANGO_ENV:-dev}
+      DJANGO_SECRET_KEY: ${DJANGO_SECRET_KEY:-dev-only-change-me}
+      DJANGO_DEBUG: ${DJANGO_DEBUG:-true}
+      DJANGO_ALLOWED_HOSTS: ${DJANGO_ALLOWED_HOSTS:-localhost,127.0.0.1,0.0.0.0}
+      DATABASE_URL: ${DATABASE_URL:-postgres://company_site:company_site@db:5432/company_site}
     depends_on:
       db:
         condition: service_healthy