diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 66727ea571..6336baee6f 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [tool.poetry]
 name = "crewai"
-version = "0.22.2"
+version = "0.22.3"
 description = "Cutting-edge framework for orchestrating role-playing, autonomous AI agents. By fostering collaborative intelligence, CrewAI empowers agents to work together seamlessly, tackling complex tasks."
 authors = ["Joao Moura <joao@crewai.com>"]
 readme = "README.md"
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ instructor = "^0.5.2"
 regex = "^2023.12.25"
 crewai-tools = { version = "^0.0.15", optional = true }
 click = "^8.1.7"
+python-dotenv = "1.0.0"
 
 [tool.poetry.extras]
 tools = ["crewai-tools"]
diff --git a/src/crewai/project/crew_base.py b/src/crewai/project/crew_base.py
index 3c0bac4b4e..a38dbe1a0e 100644
--- a/src/crewai/project/crew_base.py
+++ b/src/crewai/project/crew_base.py
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import yaml
+from dotenv import load_dotenv
+
+load_dotenv()
 
 
 def CrewBase(cls):