diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 14a3456..7a1b110 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
         "@payloadcms/db-mongodb": "1.5.2",
         "@payloadcms/richtext-lexical": "0.11.1",
         "cross-env": "7.0.3",
+        "dotenv": "^16.4.5",
         "language-tags": "1.0.9",
         "luxon": "3.4.4",
         "payload": "2.22.0",
@@ -5786,6 +5787,17 @@
         "url": "https://github.com/sponsors/sindresorhus"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/dotenv": {
+      "version": "16.4.5",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/dotenv/-/dotenv-16.4.5.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-ZmdL2rui+eB2YwhsWzjInR8LldtZHGDoQ1ugH85ppHKwpUHL7j7rN0Ti9NCnGiQbhaZ11FpR+7ao1dNsmduNUg==",
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=12"
+      },
+      "funding": {
+        "url": "https://dotenvx.com"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/duplexer": {
       "version": "0.1.2",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/duplexer/-/duplexer-0.1.2.tgz",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 8250cc5..f81af92 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
     "@payloadcms/db-mongodb": "1.5.2",
     "@payloadcms/richtext-lexical": "0.11.1",
     "cross-env": "7.0.3",
+    "dotenv": "^16.4.5",
     "language-tags": "1.0.9",
     "luxon": "3.4.4",
     "payload": "2.22.0",