diff --git a/server/index.js b/server/index.js
index edea08b57..17d9fcdda 100644
--- a/server/index.js
+++ b/server/index.js
@@ -6,8 +6,10 @@ import userRouter from "./routes/user.route.js";
 import postRouter from "./routes/post.route.js";
 import commentRouter from "./routes/comment.route.js";
 import webhookRouter from "./routes/webhook.route.js";
+import dotenv from "dotenv";
 
-const app = express();
+dotenv.config();
+const app = express();  
 
 app.use(cors(process.env.CLIENT_URL));
 app.use(clerkMiddleware());
diff --git a/server/package-lock.json b/server/package-lock.json
index c8138f0ef..f1a72041e 100644
--- a/server/package-lock.json
+++ b/server/package-lock.json
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
         "@clerk/express": "^1.3.10",
         "body-parser": "^2.0.2",
         "cors": "^2.8.5",
+        "dotenv": "^16.4.7",
         "express": "^5.0.1",
         "imagekit": "^6.0.0",
         "jsonwebtoken": "^9.0.2",
@@ -470,6 +471,18 @@
         "tslib": "^2.0.3"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/dotenv": {
+      "version": "16.4.7",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/dotenv/-/dotenv-16.4.7.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-47qPchRCykZC03FhkYAhrvwU4xDBFIj1QPqaarj6mdM/hgUzfPHcpkHJOn3mJAufFeeAxAzeGsr5X0M4k6fLZQ==",
+      "license": "BSD-2-Clause",
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=12"
+      },
+      "funding": {
+        "url": "https://dotenvx.com"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/dunder-proto": {
       "version": "1.0.1",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/dunder-proto/-/dunder-proto-1.0.1.tgz",
diff --git a/server/package.json b/server/package.json
index 80c40acec..4bc1f19f0 100644
--- a/server/package.json
+++ b/server/package.json
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
     "@clerk/express": "^1.3.10",
     "body-parser": "^2.0.2",
     "cors": "^2.8.5",
+    "dotenv": "^16.4.7",
     "express": "^5.0.1",
     "imagekit": "^6.0.0",
     "jsonwebtoken": "^9.0.2",