diff --git a/litellm/__init__.py b/litellm/__init__.py
index e1b367fb234..e292e9496cf 100644
--- a/litellm/__init__.py
+++ b/litellm/__init__.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ import os
 import dotenv as _dotenv
 
 if os.getenv("LITELLM_MODE", "DEV") == "DEV":
-    _dotenv.load_dotenv()
+    _dotenv.load_dotenv(dotenv_path=_dotenv.find_dotenv(usecwd=True))
 
 from typing import (
     Callable,
diff --git a/litellm/proxy/proxy_cli.py b/litellm/proxy/proxy_cli.py
index 5fc8c44b2d8..d4c60dda85c 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/proxy_cli.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/proxy_cli.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, Optional, Union
 
 import click
 import httpx
-from dotenv import load_dotenv
+from dotenv import find_dotenv, load_dotenv
 
 import litellm
 from litellm.constants import DEFAULT_NUM_WORKERS_LITELLM_PROXY
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ config_filename = "litellm.secrets"
 
 litellm_mode = os.getenv("LITELLM_MODE", "DEV")  # "PRODUCTION", "DEV"
 if litellm_mode == "DEV":
-    load_dotenv()
+    load_dotenv(find_dotenv(usecwd=True))
 from enum import Enum
 
 telemetry = None