diff --git a/notebooks/hud_hackathon.ipynb b/notebooks/hud_hackathon.ipynb
index 05f377b89..9c209ea71 100644
--- a/notebooks/hud_hackathon.ipynb
+++ b/notebooks/hud_hackathon.ipynb
@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@
     "\n",
     "import os\n",
     "if not os.path.exists(\".env\"):\n",
-    "    open(\".env\", \"w\").write(ENV_TEMPLATE)"
+    "    open(\".env\", \"w\").write(ENV_TEMPLATE)\n",
+    "    print(\"A .env file was created! Fill in the empty values.\")"
    ]
   },
   {
@@ -73,11 +74,10 @@
    "outputs": [],
    "source": [
     "# Read the .env file\n",
+    "# HUD requires the .env file to be in the same directory\n",
     "\n",
     "from dotenv import load_dotenv\n",
-    "\n",
-    "load_dotenv(dotenv_path='../.env')\n",
-    "load_dotenv(dotenv_path='.env')"
+    "load_dotenv(dotenv_path='.env', override=True)"
    ]
   },
   {