diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index e0e98c103..7a67045cd 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # SECURITY WARNING: keep the secret key used in production secret!
-SECRET_KEY=7(2w1sedok=aznpq)ta1mc4i%4h=xx@hxwx*o57ctsuml0x%fr
+SECRET_KEY="7(2w1sedok=aznpq)ta1mc4i%4h=xx@hxwx*o57ctsuml0x%fr"
 
 # SECURITY WARNING: don't run with debug turned on in production!
 DEBUG=true
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ POSTGRES_HOST=db
 CELERY_BROKER=redis://redis:6379/0
 CELERY_RESULT_BACKEND=redis://redis:6379/0
 
-EMAIL_HOST='smtp.mailgun.org'
+EMAIL_HOST="smtp.mailgun.org"
 EMAIL_PORT=587
 EMAIL_HOST_USER=mail@your.domain.here
 EMAIL_HOST_PASSWORD=emailpassword123
diff --git a/fr-dev b/fr-dev
index c63a10a14..d8c4d8596 100755
--- a/fr-dev
+++ b/fr-dev
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
+# import our ENV variables
+source .env
+
 set -e
 set -x
 
@@ -39,8 +42,8 @@ case "$1" in
     resetdb)
         clean
         docker-compose up --build -d
-        execdb dropdb -U fedireads fedireads
-        execdb createdb -U fedireads fedireads
+        execdb dropdb -U ${POSTGRES_USER} ${POSTGRES_DB}
+        execdb createdb -U ${POSTGRES_USER} ${POSTGRES_DB}
         initdb
         clean
         ;;
@@ -57,7 +60,7 @@ case "$1" in
         execweb python manage.py shell
         ;;
     dbshell)
-        execdb psql -U fedireads fedireads
+        execdb psql -U ${POSTGRES_USER} ${POSTGRES_DB}
         ;;
     restart_celery)
         docker-compose restart celery_worker