diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2c359b9..a4476d7 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -49,8 +49,9 @@ const S = require('fluent-schema')
 
 const config = envSchema({
   schema: S.object().prop('port', S.string().default('3000').required()),
-  data: data // optional, default: process.env
-  dotenv: true // load .env if it's there, default: false
+  data: data, // optional, default: process.env
+  dotenv: true, // load .env if it's there, default: false
+  expandEnv: true, // use dotenv-expand, default: false
 })
 
 console.log(config)
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 3cc6e13..99ba6d0 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ const optsSchema = {
       default: {}
     },
     env: { type: 'boolean', default: true },
-    dotenv: { type: ['boolean', 'object'], default: false }
+    dotenv: { type: ['boolean', 'object'], default: false },
+    expandEnv: { type: ['boolean'], default: false }
   }
 }
 const optsSchemaValidator = ajv.compile(optsSchema)
@@ -62,6 +63,9 @@ function loadAndValidateEnvironment (_opts) {
   }
 
   if (opts.env) {
+    if (opts.expandEnv) {
+      require('dotenv-expand')({ parsed: process.env })
+    }
     data.unshift(process.env)
   }
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 7cd3727..e03fe91 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "ajv": "^6.10.2",
-    "dotenv": "^8.2.0"
+    "dotenv": "^8.2.0",
+    "dotenv-expand": "^5.1.0"
   },
   "tsd": {
     "directory": "test/types"
diff --git a/test/.env b/test/.env
index c2e04ae..cddaa49 100644
--- a/test/.env
+++ b/test/.env
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 VALUE_FROM_DOTENV=look ma
+EXPANDED_VALUE_FROM_DOTENV=the password is $PASSWORD!
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/expand.test.js b/test/expand.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6f20000
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/expand.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+'use strict'
+
+const t = require('tap')
+const makeTest = require('./make-test')
+const { join } = require('path')
+
+process.env.K8S_NAMESPACE = 'pippo'
+process.env.K8S_CLUSTERID = 'pluto'
+process.env.URL = 'https://prefix.$K8S_NAMESPACE.$K8S_CLUSTERID.my.domain.com'
+process.env.PASSWORD = 'password'
+
+const tests = [
+  {
+    name: 'simple object - ok - expandEnv',
+    schema: {
+      type: 'object',
+      properties: {
+        URL: {
+          type: 'string'
+        },
+        K8S_NAMESPACE: {
+          type: 'string'
+        }
+      }
+    },
+    expandEnv: true,
+    isOk: true,
+    confExpected: {
+      URL: 'https://prefix.pippo.pluto.my.domain.com',
+      K8S_NAMESPACE: 'pippo'
+    }
+  },
+  {
+    name: 'simple object - ok - expandEnv use dotenv',
+    schema: {
+      type: 'object',
+      properties: {
+        EXPANDED_VALUE_FROM_DOTENV: {
+          type: 'string'
+        }
+      }
+    },
+    expandEnv: true,
+    isOk: true,
+    dotenv: { path: join(__dirname, '.env') },
+    confExpected: {
+      EXPANDED_VALUE_FROM_DOTENV: 'the password is password!'
+    }
+  }
+]
+
+tests.forEach(function (testConf) {
+  t.test(testConf.name, t => {
+    const options = {
+      schema: testConf.schema,
+      data: testConf.data,
+      dotenv: testConf.dotenv,
+      dotenvConfig: testConf.dotenvConfig,
+      expandEnv: testConf.expandEnv
+    }
+
+    makeTest(t, options, testConf.isOk, testConf.confExpected, testConf.errorMessage)
+  })
+})