diff --git a/Env.py b/Env.py
index ef038ad..cef7222 100644
--- a/Env.py
+++ b/Env.py
@@ -10,6 +10,29 @@ import os
 from pathlib import Path
 
 
+def _load_dotenv():
+    """Load a project-root .env into os.environ if present, so `python main.py`
+    works without remembering to `source .env`. Already-set environment
+    variables win (setdefault), so an explicit `source .env`/export still
+    overrides. Supports an optional leading `export ` and quoted values."""
+    path = Path(__file__).with_name(".env")
+    if not path.exists():
+        return
+    for raw in path.read_text().splitlines():
+        line = raw.strip()
+        if not line or line.startswith("#"):
+            continue
+        if line.startswith("export "):
+            line = line[len("export "):]
+        key, sep, value = line.partition("=")
+        if not sep:
+            continue
+        os.environ.setdefault(key.strip(), value.strip().strip('"').strip("'"))
+
+
+_load_dotenv()
+
+
 def _path(env, default):
     return Path(os.environ.get(env, default)).expanduser()
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4d8c7bf..c6cf02c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -51,9 +51,12 @@ pip install -r requirements.txt
 ### Configure (`.env`)
 
 ```bash
-cp .env.example .env       # then edit and `source .env`
+cp .env.example .env       # then edit — it's auto-loaded (no `source` needed)
 ```
 
+The project root `.env` is read automatically on startup; any variable already
+exported in your shell still takes precedence.
+
 Three things you point at your own data:
 
 | Variable | What |
diff --git a/src/workflows.py b/src/workflows.py
index a65cbd7..afb4bce 100644
--- a/src/workflows.py
+++ b/src/workflows.py
@@ -50,10 +50,10 @@ def run_fetch(enrich_limit=None, enrich=True, spotify_full=False, include_top=Fa
             fetch_spotify_incremental(full=spotify_full, include_top=include_top)
         except Exception as exc:  # keep going on cached data
             log.error("live fetch failed (%s); falling back to cached responses", exc)
-            ingest_spotify(include_top=include_top)
+            ingest_spotify(include_top=include_top, force=spotify_full)
     else:
         log.info("no SPOTIFY_CLIENT_ID/SECRET -> using cached responses")
-        ingest_spotify(include_top=include_top)
+        ingest_spotify(include_top=include_top, force=spotify_full)
 
     _step("iTunes")
     ingest_itunes()