diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 5e3cc9eb0..08b3410e5 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ lib
 node_modules
 reports
 *.log
-**/.env*
 .nyc_output
 **/coverage
 .yarn
@@ -15,3 +14,10 @@ tsconfig.tsbuildinfo
 .next
 dist
 .now
+# local env files
+**/.envrc
+**/.env
+**/.env.local
+**/.env.development.local
+**/.env.test.local
+**/.env.production.local
diff --git a/examples/store/.env.example b/examples/store/.env.example
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..91cb68369
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/store/.env.example
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+DATABASE_URL=postgresql://USERNAME@localhost:5432/blitz-example-store
diff --git a/examples/store/.gitignore b/examples/store/.gitignore
index 98cbcedbf..d9eda379d 100644
--- a/examples/store/.gitignore
+++ b/examples/store/.gitignore
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ yarn-debug.log*
 yarn-error.log*
 
 # local env files
+.envrc
+.env
 .env.local
 .env.development.local
 .env.test.local
diff --git a/packages/cli/README.md b/packages/cli/README.md
index 931f918bb..35e5e0270 100644
--- a/packages/cli/README.md
+++ b/packages/cli/README.md
@@ -21,14 +21,16 @@ Run `yarn` from the monorepo root
 `yarn build`
 
 <!-- toc -->
-* [blitz-cli](#blitz-cli)
-* [Usage](#usage)
-* [Commands](#commands)
+
+- [blitz-cli](#blitz-cli)
+- [Usage](#usage)
+- [Commands](#commands)
 <!-- tocstop -->
 
 # Usage
 
 <!-- usage -->
+
 ```sh-session
 $ npm install -g @blitzjs/cli
 $ blitz COMMAND
@@ -40,18 +42,20 @@ USAGE
   $ blitz COMMAND
 ...
 ```
+
 <!-- usagestop -->
 
 # Commands
 
 <!-- commands -->
-* [`blitz build`](#blitz-build)
-* [`blitz console`](#blitz-console)
-* [`blitz db COMMAND`](#blitz-db-command)
-* [`blitz help [COMMAND]`](#blitz-help-command)
-* [`blitz new [PATH]`](#blitz-new-path)
-* [`blitz start`](#blitz-start)
-* [`blitz test [WATCH]`](#blitz-test-watch)
+
+- [`blitz build`](#blitz-build)
+- [`blitz console`](#blitz-console)
+- [`blitz db COMMAND`](#blitz-db-command)
+- [`blitz help [COMMAND]`](#blitz-help-command)
+- [`blitz new [PATH]`](#blitz-new-path)
+- [`blitz start`](#blitz-start)
+- [`blitz test [WATCH]`](#blitz-test-watch)
 
 ## `blitz build`
 
@@ -157,4 +161,5 @@ ALIASES
 ```
 
 _See code: [lib/commands/test.js](https://github.com/blitz-js/blitz/blob/v0.0.1-canary.1/lib/commands/test.js)_
+
 <!-- commandsstop -->
diff --git a/packages/cli/bin/run b/packages/cli/bin/run
index e332faed1..ed7f3a862 100755
--- a/packages/cli/bin/run
+++ b/packages/cli/bin/run
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
 
-require('@oclif/command').run().then(require('@oclif/command/flush')).catch(require('@oclif/errors/handle'))
+require('dotenv').config()
+
+require('@oclif/command')
+  .run()
+  .then(require('@oclif/command/flush'))
+  .catch(require('@oclif/errors/handle'))
diff --git a/packages/cli/package.json b/packages/cli/package.json
index 45b1598dd..0b2524008 100644
--- a/packages/cli/package.json
+++ b/packages/cli/package.json
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
     "chokidar": "^3.3.1",
     "cross-spawn": "^7.0.2",
     "diff": "^4.0.2",
+    "dotenv": "8.2.0",
     "enquirer": "^2.3.4",
     "fs-extra": "^9.0.0",
     "fs-readdir-recursive": "1.1.0",
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/generator.ts b/packages/cli/src/generator.ts
index a1deabff1..e937d5101 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/generator.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/generator.ts
@@ -57,20 +57,20 @@ abstract class Generator<T extends GeneratorOptions = GeneratorOptions> extends
       const conflictChecker = new ConflictChecker({
         dryRun: this.options.dryRun,
       })
-      conflictChecker.on('error', err => {
+      conflictChecker.on('error', (err) => {
         reject(err)
       })
       conflictChecker.on('fileStatus', (data: string) => {
         this.performedActions.push(data)
       })
 
-      this.fs.commit([conflictChecker], err => {
+      this.fs.commit([conflictChecker], (err) => {
         if (err) reject(err)
         resolve()
       })
     })
 
-    this.performedActions.forEach(action => {
+    this.performedActions.forEach((action) => {
       console.log(action)
     })
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/app/.gitignore b/packages/cli/templates/app/.gitignore
index 13a17af4c..ebafc02b3 100644
--- a/packages/cli/templates/app/.gitignore
+++ b/packages/cli/templates/app/.gitignore
@@ -26,4 +26,9 @@
 *.log
 
 # local env files
-.env*
+.env
+.envrc
+.env.local
+.env.development.local
+.env.test.local
+.env.production.local
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index f7984f1c3..b41457465 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -5088,6 +5088,11 @@ dot-prop@^4.2.0:
   dependencies:
     is-obj "^1.0.0"
 
+dotenv@8.2.0:
+  version "8.2.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/dotenv/-/dotenv-8.2.0.tgz#97e619259ada750eea3e4ea3e26bceea5424b16a"
+  integrity sha512-8sJ78ElpbDJBHNeBzUbUVLsqKdccaa/BXF1uPTw3GrvQTBgrQrtObr2mUrE38vzYd8cEv+m/JBfDLioYcfXoaw==
+
 duplexer@^0.1.1:
   version "0.1.1"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/duplexer/-/duplexer-0.1.1.tgz#ace6ff808c1ce66b57d1ebf97977acb02334cfc1"