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FAQ: Environment File Path Issues

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How to resolve "couldn't find env file" errors when running Docker Compose commands for an M-Lab BYOS node.

beginner DockerBYOS Node OperationsTroubleshootingNode Configuration

Q: I’m getting “couldn’t find env file” errors when running Docker Compose commands. How do I fix this?

A: This error occurs when Docker Compose can’t locate your environment file. Common solutions:

  1. Ensure you’re in the correct directory where your env file is located
  2. Use the full path to the env file:
docker compose --profile ndt --env-file /full/path/to/env down
  1. Check file permissions — ensure the env file is readable
  2. Verify the filename — it should be exactly env (not env.txt or .env)

The env file contains critical configuration like your API key, IP address, and other deployment settings.