diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index cac9fbf..f8a205f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -42,4 +42,12 @@ switch:
     state_resource: https://doorman.chromart.cc/api/door/info?door=buzzer
     resource: https://doorman.chromart.cc/api/door/auth?door=buzzer&key=1991 
     is_on_template: "{{ value_json.status == 'OPEN' }}"
-```
\ No newline at end of file
+```
+
+## .env.twiliotemplate
+
+This file is used for twilio Deployments in github actions. In short, it specifies all the env values that are supposed to be deployed with the Function.
+
+For any value that is specified, it uses that value.
+
+For any value that is in the file but not specified (= nothing), it would be loaded from the execution environment (as a Gitea secret). If the env var is not in the environment passed in, then the deployment would fail.
diff --git a/packages/doorman-api/.env.example b/packages/doorman-api/.env.twiliotemplate
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/doorman-api/.env.example
rename to packages/doorman-api/.env.twiliotemplate
diff --git a/packages/doorman-api/package.json b/packages/doorman-api/package.json
index ab42150..f9adecb 100644
--- a/packages/doorman-api/package.json
+++ b/packages/doorman-api/package.json
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   "version": "0.0.0",
   "private": true,
   "scripts": {
-    "integ-test:local": "bun run build && export $(grep -v '^#' .env.example | grep -v '=$' | xargs) && concurrently --success first --kill-others \"bun run start-twilio\" \"bun test --timeout 30000 ./tst/integ-local.test.ts\"",
+    "integ-test:local": "bun run build && export $(grep -v '^#' .env.twiliotemplate | grep -v '=$' | xargs) && concurrently --success first --kill-others \"bun run start-twilio\" \"bun test --timeout 30000 ./tst/integ-local.test.ts\"",
     "integ-test:staging": "STAGE=staging bun test --timeout 30000 ./tst/integ-staging.test.ts",
     "start-twilio": "twilio-run --load-local-env --live --port 8080",
     "watch-build": "bun run --watch src/index.ts",
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@
     "local-db": "bun run --watch src/local/localDdb.ts",
     "start:local-db": "concurrently \"bun run local-db\" \"bun run start\"",
     "build": "bun run src/index.ts",
-    "deploy": "twilio-run promote --from=staging --to=prod --load-system-env --env .env.example",
-    "deploy:staging": "twilio-run deploy --load-system-env --env .env.example --service-name doorman --environment=staging --override-existing-project"
+    "deploy": "twilio-run promote --from=staging --to=prod --load-system-env --env .env.twiliotemplate",
+    "deploy:staging": "twilio-run deploy --load-system-env --env .env.twiliotemplate --service-name doorman --environment=staging --override-existing-project"
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "@aws-sdk/client-dynamodb": "^3.821.0",
diff --git a/packages/doorman-client/.env.example b/packages/doorman-client/.env.twiliotemplate
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/doorman-client/.env.example
rename to packages/doorman-client/.env.twiliotemplate
diff --git a/packages/doorman-client/package.json b/packages/doorman-client/package.json
index 3b1d4ef..25d154c 100644
--- a/packages/doorman-client/package.json
+++ b/packages/doorman-client/package.json
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@
     "start-twilio": "twilio-run --live --port 4500",
     "start": "concurrently \"bun run watch-build\" \"bun run start-twilio\"",
     "build": "bun run src/index.ts",
-    "deploy": "twilio-run promote --from=staging --to=prod --load-system-env --env .env.example",
-    "deploy:staging": "twilio-run deploy --load-system-env --env .env.example --service-name buzzer --environment=staging --override-existing-project"
+    "deploy": "twilio-run promote --from=staging --to=prod --load-system-env --env .env.twiliotemplate",
+    "deploy:staging": "twilio-run deploy --load-system-env --env .env.twiliotemplate --service-name buzzer --environment=staging --override-existing-project"
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "@twilio-labs/serverless-runtime-types": "^4.0.1",