diff --git a/configurations/base.py b/configurations/base.py
index 6065ed0..4564bbb 100644
--- a/configurations/base.py
+++ b/configurations/base.py
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ class Configuration(metaclass=ConfigurationBase):
 
     """
     DOTENV_LOADED = None
+    DOTENV_RELOAD = False
 
     @classmethod
     def load_dotenv(cls):
@@ -113,6 +114,18 @@ class Configuration(metaclass=ConfigurationBase):
         # check if the class has DOTENV set whether with a path or None
         dotenv = getattr(cls, 'DOTENV', None)
 
+        required = True
+        override_env = False
+        # check if the DOTENV is dict, and check all options of it
+        if isinstance(dotenv, dict):
+            # whether we want to override previously set envs
+            override_env = dotenv.get("override", False)
+            # whether we want to error if the file is not found
+            required = dotenv.get("required", True)
+            # whether we want to reload on dotenv, useful if we want to frequently change it
+            cls.DOTENV_RELOAD = dotenv.get("reload", False)
+            dotenv = dotenv.get("path", None)
+
         # if DOTENV is falsy we want to disable it
         if not dotenv:
             return
@@ -122,6 +135,8 @@ class Configuration(metaclass=ConfigurationBase):
             with open(dotenv) as f:
                 content = f.read()
         except OSError as e:
+            if not required:
+                return
             raise ImproperlyConfigured("Couldn't read .env file "
                                        "with the path {}. Error: "
                                        "{}".format(dotenv, e)) from e
@@ -137,13 +152,16 @@ class Configuration(metaclass=ConfigurationBase):
                 m3 = re.match(r'\A"(.*)"\Z', val)
                 if m3:
                     val = re.sub(r'\\(.)', r'\1', m3.group(1))
-                os.environ.setdefault(key, val)
+                if override_env:
+                    os.environ[key] = val
+                else:
+                    os.environ.setdefault(key, val)
 
             cls.DOTENV_LOADED = dotenv
 
     @classmethod
     def pre_setup(cls):
-        if cls.DOTENV_LOADED is None:
+        if cls.DOTENV_LOADED is None or cls.DOTENV_RELOAD:
             cls.load_dotenv()
 
     @classmethod
diff --git a/docs/cookbook.rst b/docs/cookbook.rst
index 0a3d76f..dd20f2f 100644
--- a/docs/cookbook.rst
+++ b/docs/cookbook.rst
@@ -57,6 +57,20 @@ A ``.env`` file is a ``.ini``-style file. It must contain a list of
    API_KEY1=1234
    API_KEY2=5678
 
+``DOTENV`` can also be a dictionary, and then its behavior can be configured more:
+.. code-block:: python
+   BASE_DIR = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(__file__))
+
+   class Dev(Configuration):
+       DOTENV = {
+            "path": str(os.path.join(BASE_DIR, '.env')),
+            # if True, overriddes previously set environmental variables, if False only sets them if they haven't been set before 
+            "override": True,
+            # if True errors if the DOTENV is not found at path, if False return
+            "required": False,
+            # if True, reloads DOTENV dynamically for example on hot reload
+            "reload": True,
+
 Envdir
 ------
 
diff --git a/test_project/.env b/test_project/.env
index 507755e..b4bc567 100644
--- a/test_project/.env
+++ b/test_project/.env
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
-DJANGO_DOTENV_VALUE='is set'
\ No newline at end of file
+DJANGO_DOTENV_VALUE='is set'
+DJANGO_DOTENV_OVERRIDE='overridden'
diff --git a/tests/settings/dot_env_dict.py b/tests/settings/dot_env_dict.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fcc28fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/settings/dot_env_dict.py
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+from configurations import Configuration, values
+
+
+class DotEnvConfiguration(Configuration):
+
+    DOTENV = {
+        'path': 'test_project/.env',
+        'override': True,
+    }
+
+    DOTENV_VALUE = values.Value()
+    DOTENV_OVERRIDE = values.Value("Not overridden")
diff --git a/tests/settings/dot_env_not_required.py b/tests/settings/dot_env_not_required.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7263170
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/settings/dot_env_not_required.py
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+from configurations import Configuration, values
+
+
+class DotEnvConfiguration(Configuration):
+
+    DOTENV = {
+        'path': 'some_nonexistant_path',
+        'override': True,
+        'required': False,
+    }
+
+    DOTENV_OVERRIDE = values.Value("Not overridden")
diff --git a/tests/test_env.py b/tests/test_env.py
index 50b7f66..9530d45 100644
--- a/tests/test_env.py
+++ b/tests/test_env.py
@@ -13,3 +13,18 @@ class DotEnvLoadingTests(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(dot_env.DOTENV_VALUE, 'is set')
         self.assertEqual(dot_env.DOTENV_VALUE_METHOD, 'is set')
         self.assertEqual(dot_env.DOTENV_LOADED, dot_env.DOTENV)
+
+    @patch.dict(os.environ, clear=True,
+                DJANGO_CONFIGURATION='DotEnvConfiguration',
+                DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE='tests.settings.dot_env_dict')
+    def test_env_dict(self):
+        from tests.settings import dot_env_dict
+        self.assertEqual(dot_env_dict.DOTENV_VALUE, 'is set')
+        self.assertEqual(dot_env_dict.DOTENV_OVERRIDE, 'overridden')
+
+    @patch.dict(os.environ, clear=True,
+                DJANGO_CONFIGURATION='DotEnvConfiguration',
+                DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE='tests.settings.dot_env_not_required')
+    def test_env_not_required(self):
+        from tests.settings import dot_env_not_required
+        self.assertEqual(dot_env_not_required.DOTENV_OVERRIDE, 'Not overridden')