diff --git a/src/config/env.ts b/src/config/env.ts
index 0c3a0a7..a74e230 100644
--- a/src/config/env.ts
+++ b/src/config/env.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 import { config } from 'dotenv';
 import { hostname } from 'os';
-config();
+import { resolve } from 'path';
+
+// Prefer systemd/cron-set DOTENV_CONFIG_PATH; otherwise cwd .env (default dotenv behavior).
+config({ path: process.env.DOTENV_CONFIG_PATH || resolve(process.cwd(), '.env') });
 
 const generateInstanceId = () => {
   return process.env.INSTANCE_ID || hostname() || `kord-${Math.random().toString(36).substring(2, 7)}`;