diff --git a/.env.test b/.env.test
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e76c4eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env.test
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# trying to run .env.test.staging did not work... falling back to .env.test
+NODE_ENV=test
+ENV_ENV=test
+
+PROTOCOL=http
+HOST=staging.mwitnessing.com
+PORT=
+NEXT_PUBLIC_PUBLIC_URL=https://staging.mwitnessing.com
+
+# Linux: `openssl rand -hex 32` or go to https://generate-secret.now.sh/32
+NEXTAUTH_SECRET=1dd8a5457970d1dda50600be28e935ecc4513ff27c49c431849e6746f158d638
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.env.test.staging b/.env.test.staging
index c1c813e..cf2ae59 100644
--- a/.env.test.staging
+++ b/.env.test.staging
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+# trying to run .env.test.staging did not work... falling back to .env.test
 NODE_ENV=test
 ENV_ENV=test.staging