diff --git a/.env b/.env
index 588cbc58e..0c6a6e491 100644
--- a/.env
+++ b/.env
@@ -5,8 +5,4 @@ ARCHIVAL_APPLICATION_INSIGHTS_SERVER_TELEMETRY_CHANNEL_STORAGE_PATH=application-
 ARCHIVAL_GIT_REPOSITORY_PATH=archives
 
 DIRECTORY_HOST=directory-api
-DIRECTORY_APPLICATION_INSIGHTS_SERVER_TELEMETRY_CHANNEL_STORAGE_PATH=application-insights
-
-DIRECTORY_DB_USER=filterlists
-DIRECTORY_DB_PASSWORD=filterlists
-DIRECTORY_DB_DATABASE=filterlists
\ No newline at end of file
+DIRECTORY_APPLICATION_INSIGHTS_SERVER_TELEMETRY_CHANNEL_STORAGE_PATH=application-insights
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/directory-db.env b/directory-db.env
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2595300a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/directory-db.env
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+POSTGRES_USER=filterlists
+POSTGRES_PASSWORD=filterlists
+POSTGRES_DB=filterlists
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docker-compose.dcproj b/docker-compose.dcproj
index 764f04d9f..d37cd6b95 100644
--- a/docker-compose.dcproj
+++ b/docker-compose.dcproj
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
   </PropertyGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <None Include=".env" />
+    <None Include="directory-db.env" />
     <None Include="directory-api.env" />
     <None Include="archival-api.env" />
     <None Include="api-docs.env" />
diff --git a/docker-compose.directory.migrations.tests.yml b/docker-compose.directory.migrations.tests.yml
index 6c596f547..69449e5f9 100644
--- a/docker-compose.directory.migrations.tests.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.directory.migrations.tests.yml
@@ -17,10 +17,8 @@ services:
 
   directory-db:
     image: postgres:alpine
-    environment:
-      POSTGRES_USER: ${DIRECTORY_DB_USER}
-      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: ${DIRECTORY_DB_PASSWORD}
-      POSTGRES_DB: ${DIRECTORY_DB_DATABASE}
+    env_file:
+      - directory-db.env
 
 volumes:
   directory-migrations-tests-results:
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 05b76dfa7..ac6bce405 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -71,10 +71,8 @@ services:
       - directory
     volumes:
       - directory-db:/var/lib/postgresql/data
-    environment:
-      POSTGRES_USER: ${DIRECTORY_DB_USER}
-      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: ${DIRECTORY_DB_PASSWORD}
-      POSTGRES_DB: ${DIRECTORY_DB_DATABASE}
+    env_file:
+      - directory-db.env
 
 networks:
   reverse-proxy: