diff --git a/packages/create-sitecore-jss/src/templates/node-headless-ssr-experience-edge/.env b/packages/create-sitecore-jss/src/templates/node-headless-ssr-experience-edge/.env.example
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/create-sitecore-jss/src/templates/node-headless-ssr-experience-edge/.env
rename to packages/create-sitecore-jss/src/templates/node-headless-ssr-experience-edge/.env.example
diff --git a/packages/create-sitecore-jss/src/templates/node-headless-ssr-experience-edge/index.js b/packages/create-sitecore-jss/src/templates/node-headless-ssr-experience-edge/index.js
index 63318dc6c7..46c1559467 100644
--- a/packages/create-sitecore-jss/src/templates/node-headless-ssr-experience-edge/index.js
+++ b/packages/create-sitecore-jss/src/templates/node-headless-ssr-experience-edge/index.js
@@ -1,6 +1,13 @@
 const express = require('express');
 const compression = require('compression');
-require('dotenv').config();
+
+/**
+ * Usage of .env file can be enabled here by
+ * uncommenting the next require and
+ * creating a .env file based on .env.example
+ */
+//require('dotenv').config();
+
 const { GraphQLLayoutService } = require('@sitecore-jss/sitecore-jss/layout');
 const { GraphQLDictionaryService } = require('@sitecore-jss/sitecore-jss/i18n');
 const config = require('./config');
diff --git a/packages/create-sitecore-jss/src/templates/node-headless-ssr-proxy/.env b/packages/create-sitecore-jss/src/templates/node-headless-ssr-proxy/.env.example
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/create-sitecore-jss/src/templates/node-headless-ssr-proxy/.env
rename to packages/create-sitecore-jss/src/templates/node-headless-ssr-proxy/.env.example
diff --git a/packages/create-sitecore-jss/src/templates/node-headless-ssr-proxy/index.js b/packages/create-sitecore-jss/src/templates/node-headless-ssr-proxy/index.js
index 33c7f3f175..d4700e824e 100644
--- a/packages/create-sitecore-jss/src/templates/node-headless-ssr-proxy/index.js
+++ b/packages/create-sitecore-jss/src/templates/node-headless-ssr-proxy/index.js
@@ -1,6 +1,13 @@
 const express = require('express');
 const compression = require('compression');
-require('dotenv').config();
+
+/**
+ * Usage of .env file can be enabled here by
+ * uncommenting the next require and
+ * creating a .env file based on .env.example
+ */
+//require('dotenv').config();
+
 const scProxy = require('@sitecore-jss/sitecore-jss-proxy').default;
 const config = require('./config');
 const cacheMiddleware = require('./cacheMiddleware');