diff --git a/whatsapp-gateway/package.json b/whatsapp-gateway/package.json
index 800f367..585fdb8 100644
--- a/whatsapp-gateway/package.json
+++ b/whatsapp-gateway/package.json
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
     "@whiskeysockets/baileys": "^6.7.9",
     "axios": "^1.7.2",
     "cors": "^2.8.5",
+    "dotenv": "^16.4.5",
     "express": "^4.19.2",
     "pino": "^9.2.0"
   }
diff --git a/whatsapp-gateway/server.js b/whatsapp-gateway/server.js
index b531c5f..f954d5a 100644
--- a/whatsapp-gateway/server.js
+++ b/whatsapp-gateway/server.js
@@ -1,3 +1,23 @@
+const fs = require('fs');
+const path = require('path');
+const dotenv = require('dotenv');
+
+// Find .env file identically to how PHP bootstrap does it
+const envPaths = [
+    path.join(__dirname, '.env'),
+    path.join(__dirname, '../.env'),
+    path.join(__dirname, '../backend/.env'),
+    path.join(__dirname, '../../../.env')
+];
+
+for (const p of envPaths) {
+    if (fs.existsSync(p)) {
+        dotenv.config({ path: p });
+        console.log(`Loaded environment from ${p}`);
+        break;
+    }
+}
+
 const express = require('express');
 const cors = require('cors');
 const { startSession, disconnectSession } = require('./baileys-client');