diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 23cfbd0f..f0745086 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           name: generated
           path: testproject
-
+          include-hidden-files: true
 
   build-docker-image:
     needs: bootstrap
@@ -71,6 +71,10 @@ jobs:
       - name: setup buildx
         uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
 
+      - name: check .env file
+        run: |
+          cat testproject/src/app/.env
+
       - name: make sure docker image is buildable
         uses: docker/build-push-action@v6
         with:
diff --git a/{{ cookiecutter.name }}/pyproject.toml b/{{ cookiecutter.name }}/pyproject.toml
index ca4a3ca4..9a6a1638 100644
--- a/{{ cookiecutter.name }}/pyproject.toml	
+++ b/{{ cookiecutter.name }}/pyproject.toml	
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ pymarkdownlnt = "^0.9.21"
 pytest-deadfixtures = "^2.2.1"
 pytest-django = "^4.7.0"
 pytest-env = "^1.1.1"
-pytest-freezegun = "^0.4.2"
+pytest-freezer = "^0.4.8"
 pytest-mock = "^3.12.0"
 pytest-randomly = "^3.15.0"
 pytest-xdist = "^3.6.1"
@@ -119,10 +119,6 @@ env = [
 ]
 filterwarnings = [
     "ignore:.*'rest_framework_jwt.blacklist' defines default_app_config.*You can remove default_app_config.::django",
-    "ignore:distutils Version classes are deprecated. Use packaging.version instead.:DeprecationWarning:pytest_freezegun:17",
-]
-markers = [
-    "freeze_time: freezing time marker (pytest-freezegun does not register it)",
 ]
 python_files = ["test*.py"]
 pythonpath = ". src"
diff --git a/{{ cookiecutter.name }}/src/app/conf/environ.py b/{{ cookiecutter.name }}/src/app/conf/environ.py
index ad55b162..55bf8146 100644
--- a/{{ cookiecutter.name }}/src/app/conf/environ.py	
+++ b/{{ cookiecutter.name }}/src/app/conf/environ.py	
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@
 
 if envpath.exists():
     env.read_env(envpath)
+else:
+    from django.core.exceptions import ImproperlyConfigured
+
+    raise ImproperlyConfigured(".env is missing")
 
 __all__ = [
     "env",