diff --git a/config/environments/production.rb b/config/environments/production.rb
index bb76da2..1be8a1a 100644
--- a/config/environments/production.rb
+++ b/config/environments/production.rb
@@ -24,3 +24,10 @@ config.gem "rubaidh-google_analytics",
 
 PHOTOCRACY_SITE_ID = 8
 ALLOURIDEAS_SITE_ID = 1
+
+# set constants containing sensitive information
+# such as passwords for sendgrid, etc.
+extra_conf = "/data/extra-conf/environment-variables.rb"
+if File.exists?(extra_conf)
+  require extra_conf
+end
diff --git a/config/environments/staging.rb b/config/environments/staging.rb
index 789577a..51ff7a5 100644
--- a/config/environments/staging.rb
+++ b/config/environments/staging.rb
@@ -15,3 +15,10 @@ config.gem "rubaidh-google_analytics",
   :lib     => "rubaidh/google_analytics",
   :version => "1.1.4",
   :source  => "http://gems.github.com"
+
+# set constants containing sensitive information
+# such as passwords for sendgrid, etc.
+extra_conf = "/data/extra-conf/environment-variables.rb"
+if File.exists?(extra_conf)
+  require extra_conf
+end
--
libgit2 0.21.2