diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1ab823bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# Copy this file as .env
+# SSH account & hostname for publishing.
+WEBSERVER_SSH_=user@domain
+WEBSERVER_ROOT=/path-to/flamenco.blender.org
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 151fe05c..c304f8f5 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 *.db
 *.blend[0-9]
 *.flamenco.blend
+.env
 
 /flamenco-manager
 /flamenco-worker
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 5079bf8e..94ea9eee 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+-include .env
+
 PKG := git.blender.org/flamenco
 
 # To update the version number in all the relevant places, update the VERSION
@@ -41,9 +43,17 @@ FFMPEG_VERSION=5.0.1
 TOOLS=./tools
 TOOLS_DOWNLOAD=./tools/download
 
-# SSH account & hostname for publishing.
-WEBSERVER_SSH=flamenco@flamenco.blender.org
-WEBSERVER_ROOT=/var/www/flamenco.blender.org
+# For production deployments: check variables stored in .env
+.PHONY: check-environment
+check-environment:
+ifndef WEBSERVER_SSH
+	echo "WEBSERVER_SSH not found. Check .env or .env.example"
+	exit 1
+endif
+ifndef WEBSERVER_ROOT
+	echo "WEBSERVER_ROOT not found. Check .env or .env.example"
+	exit 1
+endif
 
 all: application
 
@@ -230,9 +240,11 @@ clean-webapp-static:
 	touch ${WEB_STATIC}/emptyfile
 
 project-website:
+	$(MAKE) check-environment
 	rm -rf web/project-website/public/
 	cd web/project-website; hugo --baseURL https://flamenco.blender.org/
 	rsync web/project-website/public/ ${WEBSERVER_SSH}:${WEBSERVER_ROOT}/ \
+		-e "ssh" \
 		-va \
 		--exclude v2/ \
 		--exclude downloads/ \
@@ -338,6 +350,7 @@ release-package-windows:
 
 .PHONY: publish-release-packages
 publish-release-packages:
+	$(MAKE) check-environment
 	cd dist; sha256sum ${RELEASE_PACKAGE_LINUX} ${RELEASE_PACKAGE_DARWIN} ${RELEASE_PACKAGE_WINDOWS} > ${RELEASE_PACKAGE_SHAFILE}
 	cd dist; rsync -va \
 		${RELEASE_PACKAGE_LINUX} ${RELEASE_PACKAGE_DARWIN} ${RELEASE_PACKAGE_WINDOWS} ${RELEASE_PACKAGE_SHAFILE} \
diff --git a/web/project-website/content/development/releasing/_index.md b/web/project-website/content/development/releasing/_index.md
index ca5294d1..7cab8b18 100644
--- a/web/project-website/content/development/releasing/_index.md
+++ b/web/project-website/content/development/releasing/_index.md
@@ -12,14 +12,15 @@ people.
 
 Replace `${VERSION}` with the actual version number.
 
+1. Ensure that env variables are set in the `.env` file (see `.env.example` for reference)
 1. Update `CHANGELOG.md` and mark the to-be-released version as released today.
-2. Update `web/project-website/data/flamenco.yaml` for the new version.
-3. Update `Makefile` and change the `VERSION` and `RELEASE_CYCLE` variables.
-4. `make update-version`
-5. `git commit -m "Bump version to ${VERSION}"`
-6. `git tag v${VERSION}`
-7. `make release-package`
-8. Check that the files in `dist/` are there and have a non-zero size.
-9. `make publish-release-packages` to upload the packages to the website.
-10. `make project-website` to generate and publish the new website.
-11. `git push && git push --tags`
+1. Update `web/project-website/data/flamenco.yaml` for the new version.
+1. Update `Makefile` and change the `VERSION` and `RELEASE_CYCLE` variables.
+1. `make update-version`
+1. `git commit -m "Bump version to ${VERSION}"`
+1. `git tag v${VERSION}`
+1. `make release-package`
+1. Check that the files in `dist/` are there and have a non-zero size.
+1. `make publish-release-packages` to upload the packages to the website.
+1. `make project-website` to generate and publish the new website.
+1. `git push && git push --tags`