diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index eaf5e16..3ca044e 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
         "@tailwindcss/typography": "^0.5.19",
         "astro": "^4.5.0",
         "compression": "^1.8.1",
+        "dotenv": "^17.4.2",
         "express": "^5.2.1",
         "nodemailer": "^8.0.3"
       },
@@ -2812,6 +2813,18 @@
       "integrity": "sha512-+HlytyjlPKnIG8XuRG8WvmBP8xs8P71y+SKKS6ZXWoEgLuePxtDoUEiH7WkdePWrQ5JBpE6aoVqfZfJUQkjXwA==",
       "license": "MIT"
     },
+    "node_modules/dotenv": {
+      "version": "17.4.2",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/dotenv/-/dotenv-17.4.2.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-nI4U3TottKAcAD9LLud4Cb7b2QztQMUEfHbvhTH09bqXTxnSie8WnjPALV/WMCrJZ6UV/qHJ6L03OqO3LcdYZw==",
+      "license": "BSD-2-Clause",
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=12"
+      },
+      "funding": {
+        "url": "https://dotenvx.com"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/dset": {
       "version": "3.1.4",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/dset/-/dset-3.1.4.tgz",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 86aa58c..aed45e5 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
     "@tailwindcss/typography": "^0.5.19",
     "astro": "^4.5.0",
     "compression": "^1.8.1",
+    "dotenv": "^17.4.2",
     "express": "^5.2.1",
     "nodemailer": "^8.0.3"
   },
diff --git a/server.mjs b/server.mjs
index 6de65a4..47355e0 100644
--- a/server.mjs
+++ b/server.mjs
@@ -1,12 +1,20 @@
-import { handler as ssrHandler } from './dist/server/entry.mjs';
-import express from 'express';
-import compression from 'compression';
+import { config } from 'dotenv';
 import { fileURLToPath } from 'url';
 import { dirname, join } from 'path';
 
 const __filename = fileURLToPath(import.meta.url);
 const __dirname = dirname(__filename);
 
+// Load .env from the project root (same dir as server.mjs)
+config({ path: join(__dirname, '.env') });
+console.log('[server] Loaded .env from:', join(__dirname, '.env'));
+console.log('[server] SMTP_HOST:', process.env.SMTP_HOST || 'NOT SET');
+console.log('[server] CONTACT_EMAIL_TO:', process.env.CONTACT_EMAIL_TO || 'NOT SET');
+
+import { handler as ssrHandler } from './dist/server/entry.mjs';
+import express from 'express';
+import compression from 'compression';
+
 const app = express();
 
 // Server configuration