diff --git a/.env b/.env
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..efb0336
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+DATABASE_URL=postgres://postgres:example@localhost:5432/postgres
diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..efb0336
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+DATABASE_URL=postgres://postgres:example@localhost:5432/postgres
diff --git a/bin/migrate.js b/bin/migrate.js
index b7f9844..972a9ef 100644
--- a/bin/migrate.js
+++ b/bin/migrate.js
@@ -7,6 +7,14 @@ try {
   debug = console.log
 }
 
+try {
+  debug('try to use the `.env` file via `dotenv-safe`')
+  require('dotenv-safe').config()
+} catch (e) {
+  debug('package `dotenv-safe` or file `.env` not found')
+  debug = console.log
+}
+
 const fs = require('fs')
 const path = require('path')
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index e58708e..3a4b7ab 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -22,12 +22,13 @@
     "lint": "standard",
     "lint:fix": "standard --fix",
     "test": "npm run test:unit && npm run test:integration && npm run test:package",
-    "test:integration": "export DATABASE_URL=postgres://postgres:example@localhost:5432/postgres && node ./bin/migrate && mocha --require intelli-espower-loader --recursive './test/integration/**/*.js'",
-    "test:package": "npm pack && tar -xzf *.tgz -C ./ && cp -r test package/test && cd package && mkdir -p migrations && npm i && npm run test:unit && npm run test:integration",
+    "test:integration": "node ./bin/migrate && mocha --require intelli-espower-loader --recursive './test/integration/**/*.js'",
+    "test:package": "npm pack && tar -xzf *.tgz -C ./ && cp .env.example package/.env.example && cp .env package/.env && cp -r test package/test && cd package && mkdir -p migrations && npm i && npm run test:unit && npm run test:integration",
     "test:unit": "nyc mocha --require intelli-espower-loader --recursive './test/unit/**/*.js'",
     "version": "npx readme-releases && git add README.md"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
+    "dotenv-safe": "^8.2.0",
     "espower-loader": "^1.2.2",
     "intelli-espower-loader": "^1.1.0",
     "mocha": "^9.1.1",
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@
   },
   "peerDependencies": {
     "debug": "^4.3.2",
+    "dotenv-safe": "^8.2.0",
     "pg": "^8.7.1"
   },
   "directories": {
diff --git a/test/integration/sql.js b/test/integration/sql.js
index ceefccc..97ba5ed 100644
--- a/test/integration/sql.js
+++ b/test/integration/sql.js
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+require('dotenv-safe').config()
+
 const assert = require('power-assert').strict
 
 function sleep (ms) {