diff --git a/backend/alembic.ini b/backend/alembic.ini
index a6c4612..1d141c2 100644
--- a/backend/alembic.ini
+++ b/backend/alembic.ini
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ path_separator = os
 # database URL.  This is consumed by the user-maintained env.py script only.
 # other means of configuring database URLs may be customized within the env.py
 # file.
-sqlalchemy.url = postgresql://wikitcg:password@localhost/wikitcg
+sqlalchemy.url = placeholder
 
 
 [post_write_hooks]
diff --git a/backend/alembic/env.py b/backend/alembic/env.py
index 8363b51..ba288ef 100644
--- a/backend/alembic/env.py
+++ b/backend/alembic/env.py
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@ from sqlalchemy import pool
 from alembic import context
 from models import Base
 
+import os
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
+load_dotenv()
+
 # this is the Alembic Config object, which provides
 # access to the values within the .ini file in use.
 config = context.config
@@ -39,7 +43,7 @@ def run_migrations_offline() -> None:
     script output.
 
     """
-    url = config.get_main_option("sqlalchemy.url")
+    url = config.get_main_option("sqlalchemy.url", os.environ["DATABASE_URL"])
     context.configure(
         url=url,
         target_metadata=target_metadata,