diff --git a/gnip_insights_interface/utils.py b/gnip_insights_interface/utils.py
index 242553b..4875761 100644
--- a/gnip_insights_interface/utils.py
+++ b/gnip_insights_interface/utils.py
@@ -18,18 +18,29 @@ def get_query_setup(api="engagement"):
         raise CredentialsException("'api' keyword-argument to get_query_setup must be 'engagment'")
 
     creds_file_path = os.getenv('HOME') + '/.twitter_api_creds'
-    if not os.path.exists(creds_file_path): 
+    if os.path.exists(creds_file_path):
+        with open(creds_file_path, 'r') as f:
+            creds = yaml.load(f)
+            url = creds[api]['url']
+    elif "TWITTER_CONSUMER_KEY" in os.environ:
+        creds = {}
+        creds[api] = {}
+        creds[api]['consumer_key'] = os.environ["TWITTER_CONSUMER_KEY"]
+        creds[api]['consumer_secret'] = os.environ["TWITTER_CONSUMER_SECRET"]
+        creds[api]['token'] = os.environ["TWITTER_ACCESS_TOKEN"]
+        creds[api]['token_secret'] = os.environ["TWITTER_ACCESS_TOKEN_SECRET"]
+        url = os.environ["TWITTER_ENGAGEMENT_URL"]
+    else:
         raise CredentialsException('Credentials file at $HOME/.twitter_api_creds must exists!') 
     
-    creds = None 
-    url = None
-    with open(creds_file_path,'r') as f:
-        creds = yaml.load(f)
-        url = creds[api]['url']
-        try:
-            auth = OAuth1(creds[api]['consumer_key'],creds[api]['consumer_secret'],creds[api]['token'],creds[api]['token_secret'])  
-        except (TypeError,KeyError) as e:
-            raise CredentialsException('Credentials file at $HOME/.twitter_api_creds must contain the keys: username, consumer_key, consumer_secret, token, token_secret, url') 
+    try:
+        auth = OAuth1(creds[api]['consumer_key'],creds[api]['consumer_secret'],creds[api]['token'],creds[api]['token_secret'])
+    except (TypeError,KeyError) as e:
+        raise CredentialsException(
+            '''Credentials file at $HOME/.twitter_api_creds contain the keys: username, consumer_key, 
+            consumer_secret, token, token_secret, url
+            or Environment variables TWITTER_CONSUMER_KEY, TWITTER_CONSUMER_SECRET, TWITTER_ACCESS_TOKEN, 
+            TWITTER_ACCESS_TOKEN_SECRET, must exist''')
     json_header = {'Content-Type' : 'application/json'}
 
     return url,auth,json_header