diff --git a/.env b/.env
deleted file mode 100644
index ae93496..0000000
--- a/.env
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-# This is the only file you have to change for configuring your installation
-
-# Work done ------------------------
-# Setting up social media sites
-  # Change the domain as per your requirements. Don't forget to rebuild your Docker or restart the app.
-twitter=nitter.net
-youtube=invidious.snopyta.org
-instagram=bibliogram.art/u
-reddit=libredd.it
-
-# Plan
- # For setting dark, Language, enable Replace Social Media Links etc
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 6d0f2d3..3e3854c 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ ENV WHOOGLE_PROXY_TYPE=$proxytype
 ARG proxyloc=''
 ENV WHOOGLE_PROXY_LOC=$proxyloc
 
+ARG whoogle_dotenv=''
+ENV WHOOGLE_DOTENV=$whoogle_dotenv
+
 ARG use_https=''
 ENV HTTPS_ONLY=$use_https
 
@@ -59,6 +62,7 @@ COPY misc/tor/torrc /etc/tor/torrc
 COPY misc/tor/start-tor.sh misc/tor/start-tor.sh
 COPY app/ app/
 COPY run .
+COPY whoogle.env .
 
 EXPOSE $EXPOSE_PORT
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 95a9450..ee2b3cc 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -138,6 +138,8 @@ Description=Whoogle
 #Environment=WHOOGLE_ALT_YT=invidious.snopyta.org
 #Environment=WHOOGLE_ALT_IG=bibliogram.art/u
 #Environment=WHOOGLE_ALT_RD=libredd.it
+# Load values from dotenv only
+#Environment=WHOOGLE_DOTENV=1
 Type=simple
 User=root
 WorkingDirectory=<whoogle_directory>
@@ -233,10 +235,11 @@ Depending on your preferences, you can also deploy the app yourself on your own
   - A bit more experience or willingness to work through issues
 
 ## Environment Variables
-There are a few optional environment variables available for customizing a Whoogle instance:
+There are a few optional environment variables available for customizing a Whoogle instance. These can be set manually, or copied into `whoogle.env` and enabled by setting `WHOOGLE_DOTENV=1`.
 
 | Variable           | Description                                                    |
 | ------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| WHOOGLE_DOTENV     | Load environment variables in `whoogle.env`                    |
 | WHOOGLE_USER       | The username for basic auth. WHOOGLE_PASS must also be set if used. |
 | WHOOGLE_PASS       | The password for basic auth. WHOOGLE_USER must also be set if used. |
 | WHOOGLE_PROXY_USER | The username of the proxy server.                              |
diff --git a/app/__init__.py b/app/__init__.py
index 9d965b2..23422c3 100644
--- a/app/__init__.py
+++ b/app/__init__.py
@@ -6,9 +6,17 @@ from flask_session import Session
 import json
 import os
 from stem import Signal
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
 
 app = Flask(__name__, static_folder=os.path.dirname(
     os.path.abspath(__file__)) + '/static')
+
+# Load .env file if enabled
+if os.getenv("WHOOGLE_DOTENV", ''):
+    dotenv_path = '../whoogle.env'
+    load_dotenv(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)),
+                             dotenv_path))
+
 app.user_elements = {}
 app.default_key_set = generate_user_keys()
 app.no_cookie_ips = []
diff --git a/app/utils/results.py b/app/utils/results.py
index e7e847c..7db53ed 100644
--- a/app/utils/results.py
+++ b/app/utils/results.py
@@ -3,9 +3,6 @@ import os
 import urllib.parse as urlparse
 from urllib.parse import parse_qs
 
-# For .env reading
-from dotenv import load_dotenv
-load_dotenv(os.path.join(os.path.abspath(os.getcwd()), '.env'))
 
 SKIP_ARGS = ['ref_src', 'utm']
 SKIP_PREFIX = ['//www.', '//mobile.', '//m.']
@@ -25,32 +22,13 @@ BLACKLIST = [
     'Reklāma', 'Reklaam', 'Διαφήμιση', 'מודעה', 'Hirdetés', 'Anúncio'
 ]
 
-# Setting up ALTs site Links
-SITE_ALTS = {}
-def get_alt_links():
-  print("Setting up alternative social media site..")
-  tw,yt,ig,rd = os.getenv("twitter"),os.getenv("youtube"),os.getenv("instagram"),os.getenv("reddit")
-  if tw != None and tw != "":
-      SITE_ALTS['twitter.com']=tw
-  else:
-    SITE_ALTS['twitter.com']=os.getenv('WHOOGLE_ALT_TW', 'nitter.net')
+SITE_ALTS = {
+    'twitter.com': os.getenv('WHOOGLE_ALT_TW', 'nitter.net'),
+    'youtube.com': os.getenv('WHOOGLE_ALT_YT', 'invidious.snopyta.org'),
+    'instagram.com': os.getenv('WHOOGLE_ALT_IG', 'bibliogram.art/u'),
+    'reddit.com': os.getenv('WHOOGLE_ALT_RD', 'libredd.it')
+}
 
-  if yt != None and yt != "":
-      SITE_ALTS['youtube.com']=yt
-  else:
-    SITE_ALTS['youtube.com']=os.getenv('WHOOGLE_ALT_YT', 'invalid.com')
- 
-  if ig != None and ig != "":
-      SITE_ALTS['instagram.com']=os.getenv("instagram")
-  else:
-    SITE_ALTS['instagram.com']=os.getenv('WHOOGLE_ALT_IG', 'bibliogram.art/u')
- 
-  if rd != None and rd != "":
-      SITE_ALTS['reddit.com']=os.getenv("reddit")
-  else:
-    SITE_ALTS['reddit.com']=os.getenv('WHOOGLE_ALT_RD', 'libredd.it')
-
-get_alt_links()
 
 def has_ad_content(element: str) -> bool:
     """Inspects an HTML element for ad related content
@@ -94,7 +72,7 @@ def get_site_alt(link: str) -> str:
         str: An updated (or ignored) result link
 
     """
-      
+
     for site_key in SITE_ALTS.keys():
         if site_key not in link:
             continue
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 3f48604..f2e8797 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ services:
       #- WHOOGLE_ALT_YT=invidious.snopyta.org
       #- WHOOGLE_ALT_IG=bibliogram.art/u
       #- WHOOGLE_ALT_RD=libredd.it
+      # Load environment variables from whoogle.env
+      #- WHOOGLE_DOTENV=1
     ports:
       - 5000:5000
     restart: unless-stopped
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 80282f4..0e4cdf0 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -31,4 +31,4 @@ urllib3==1.25.9
 waitress==1.4.3
 wcwidth==0.1.9
 Werkzeug==0.16.0
-python-dotenv
+python-dotenv==0.16.0
diff --git a/run b/run
index 4ace594..f4eac50 100755
--- a/run
+++ b/run
@@ -22,5 +22,5 @@ else
     mkdir -p "$STATIC_FOLDER"
     python3 -um app \
       --host "${ADDRESS:-0.0.0.0}" \
-      --port "${PORT:-"${EXPOSE_PORT:-5000}"}"
+      --port "${PORT:-"${EXPOSE_PORT:-5000}"}" --debug
 fi
diff --git a/whoogle.env b/whoogle.env
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a817360
--- /dev/null
+++ b/whoogle.env
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+# You can set Whoogle environment variables here, but must set
+# WHOOGLE_DOTENV=1 in your deployment to enable these values
+
+#WHOOGLE_ALT_TW=nitter.net
+#WHOOGLE_ALT_YT=invidious.snopyta.org
+#WHOOGLE_ALT_IG=bibliogram.art/u
+#WHOOGLE_ALT_RD=libredd.it
+#WHOOGLE_USER=""
+#WHOOGLE_PASS=""
+#WHOOGLE_PROXY_USER=""
+#WHOOGLE_PROXY_PASS=""
+#WHOOGLE_PROXY_TYPE=""
+#WHOOGLE_PROXY_LOC=""
+#HTTPS_ONLY=1