diff --git a/dc b/dc
index 6f7a9d49..b07b06ef 100755
--- a/dc
+++ b/dc
@@ -11,7 +11,9 @@
 cwd="$(dirname -- "$0";)";
 
 # get portal modules configuration from .env file (if defined more than once, the last one is used)
-PORTAL_MODULES=$(grep -e "^PORTAL_MODULES=" ${cwd}/.env | tail -1 | sed "s/PORTAL_MODULES=//")
+if [[ -f "${cwd}/.env" ]]; then
+  PORTAL_MODULES=$(grep -e "^PORTAL_MODULES=" ${cwd}/.env | tail -1 | sed "s/PORTAL_MODULES=//")
+fi
 
 # include base docker compose file
 COMPOSE_FILES="-f ${cwd}/docker-compose.yml"