diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a0b3a92..9c35346 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ A django app running on Docker. Replaces _Aus GLAM Blogs_.
 
 ## Deploy
 
+* `cp .env.example .env` and enter env values for your app
+* set up web server config (nginx example coming soon)
 * `docker compose build`
 * `./glamr-dev makemigrations` (may get a DB connection error here, ignore it or run again)
 * `./glamr-dev migrate`
diff --git a/ausglamr/settings.py b/ausglamr/settings.py
index b8e98ab..e457f60 100644
--- a/ausglamr/settings.py
+++ b/ausglamr/settings.py
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ DATABASES = {
         "ENGINE": "django.db.backends.postgresql",
         "NAME": env("POSTGRES_DB", "ausglamr"),
         "USER": env("POSTGRES_USER", "ausglamr"),
-        "PASSWORD": env("POSTGRES_PASSWORD", "ausglamr"),
+        "PASSWORD": env("POSTGRES_PASSWORD"),
         "HOST": env("POSTGRES_HOST", "db"),
         "PORT": env.int("PGPORT", 5432),
         "TEST": {