diff --git a/dns.env.example b/dns.env.example
index c4d67c6..7cf86ca 100644
--- a/dns.env.example
+++ b/dns.env.example
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
 #  in. Therefore a local DNS is necessary in order to tell Nextcloud that the
 #  document server is a local IP address rather than the WAN address like an
 #  external DNS would.
+# This file should be sourced by the shell instance starting the containers, it
+#  unfortunately cannot be specified in the env_file: element because the dns:
+#  element reads its variables before env_file: is loaded. Putting the servers
+#  into environment: works but then the configuration is no longer private.
 
 # A private DNS server, such as one run by this project's Config/DNS/ config.
 DNS1=10.110.1.53
diff --git a/source.env b/source.env
index b242c68..46efd94 100755
--- a/source.env
+++ b/source.env
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
+#!/bin/bash
 # Provide any necessary project variables.
 # Needs run in the current shell environment, such as:
-#   source /PATH_TO_GIT_PROJECT/source.env
+#   source /PATH_TO_PROJECT/source.env
 
 DIR="$(dirname -- "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")"
-if [[ $DIR == \.* ]]; then
+if [[ "$DIR" == '.'* ]]; then
+	cd $DIR
 	DIR="`pwd`"
 fi
 
@@ -12,3 +14,5 @@ DOCKER_PATH="$DOCKER_HOME/bin"
 PATH="$DOCKER_PATH:$PATH"
 
 export DOCKER_HOME DOCKER_PATH PATH
+
+source $DIR/dns.env