diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6f8e81e..b596db8 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -10,13 +10,17 @@
 `pip install -r requirements/production.txt`
 
 ## Set environmental variables
+Alternatively, variables can be set in a `.env` file in `config/settings`.
 For Django related variables see [Django's documentation](https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/dev/ref/settings/).
 - `DJANGO_SECRET_KEY`
 - `DATABASE_URL`
 - `DJANGO_ALLOWED_HOSTS` (List)
 
 ### LDAP
+See [django-auth-ldap docs](https://django-auth-ldap.readthedocs.io/en/latest/authentication.html#server-config).
 - `LDAP_SERVER_URI`
+- `LDAP_USER_DN`
+- `LDAP_USER_PASSWORD`
 
 ## Run database migrations
 - `python manage.py migrate --no-input`. See [Django docs](https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/2.2/ref/django-admin/#django-admin-migrate).
diff --git a/config/settings/base.py b/config/settings/base.py
index d25ba80..2636dca 100644
--- a/config/settings/base.py
+++ b/config/settings/base.py
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@
 
 env = environ.Env()
 
+# Read .env file
+environ.Env.read_env()
+
 # GENERAL
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 DEBUG = env.bool('DJANGO_DEBUG', False)
diff --git a/config/settings/ldap.py b/config/settings/ldap.py
index 7dd7000..fc72f83 100644
--- a/config/settings/ldap.py
+++ b/config/settings/ldap.py
@@ -13,17 +13,21 @@
 
 AUTH_LDAP_SERVER_URI = env('LDAP_URI')
 
+LDAP_USER_NAMES = env('LDAP_USER_NAMES', default="dc=user,dc=apps,dc=molgen,dc=mpg,dc=DE")
+
 AUTH_LDAP_CONNECTION_OPTIONS = {
     ldap.OPT_X_TLS_REQUIRE_CERT: ldap.OPT_X_TLS_NEVER
 }
 
-AUTH_LDAP_BIND_DN = env('LDAP_USER_DN')
+AUTH_LDAP_BIND_DN = env('LDAP_USER_DN', default="cn=mpicms,dc=ldap,dc=apps,dc=molgen,dc=mpg,dc=DE")
 AUTH_LDAP_BIND_PASSWORD = env('LDAP_USER_PASSWORD')
 AUTH_LDAP_USER_SEARCH = LDAPSearch(
-        env('LDAP_USER_NAMES'), ldap.SCOPE_SUBTREE, "(uid=%(user)s)")
+        LDAP_USER_NAMES,
+        ldap.SCOPE_SUBTREE,
+        "(uid=%(user)s)")
 
 
-AUTH_LDAP_USER_DN_TEMPLATE = "uid=%(user)s," + env('LDAP_USER_NAMES')
+AUTH_LDAP_USER_DN_TEMPLATE = "uid=%(user)s," + LDAP_USER_NAMES
 
 AUTH_LDAP_FIND_GROUP_PERMS = False
 AUTH_LDAP_GROUP_SEARCH = LDAPSearch(