diff --git a/.env b/.env
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e7317790a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+PATH=$PWD/bin:$PATH
+PUFFIN_PYTHON_PATH=$PWD/bin
diff --git a/.envrc b/.envrc
deleted file mode 100644
index 14c366045..000000000
--- a/.envrc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-PATH=$PWD/bin:$PATH
-export PUFFIN_PYTHON_PATH=$PWD/bin
-
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 11550223a..c87ab5d93 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -56,9 +56,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       - name: "Install required Python versions"
         run: |
-          sudo apt install direnv
           scripts/bootstrap/install.sh
-          direnv allow .envrc
       - name: "Install Rust toolchain"
         run: rustup show
       - uses: rui314/setup-mold@v1
@@ -71,7 +69,8 @@ jobs:
           save-if: ${{ github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' }}
       - name: "Tests"
         run: |
-          direnv exec . cargo nextest run --all --all-features --status-level skip --failure-output immediate-final --no-fail-fast -j 12
+          source .env
+          cargo nextest run --all --all-features --status-level skip --failure-output immediate-final --no-fail-fast -j 12
 
   # TODO(konstin): Merge with the cargo-test job once the tests pass
   windows:
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index ecf58e5bf..10aac8af3 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -43,21 +43,20 @@ Install required Python versions with the bootstrapping script:
 scripts/bootstrap/install.sh
 ```
 
-Then add the Python binaries to your path:
+The installed Python binaries will be available in `<repo>/bin` and must be added to your path to be used. We
+provide a `.env` file with the proper environment variables for development. You may activate it with:
 
 ```
-export PATH=$PWD/bin:$PATH
+source .env
 ```
 
-We also strongly recommend setting the `PUFFIN_PYTHON_PATH` variable during development; this will prevent your
-system Python versions from being found during tests:
+Or, if you use `direnv` to manage your environment:
 
 ```
-export PUFFIN_PYTHON_PATH=$PWD/bin
+echo "dotenv" >> .envrc
+direnv allow
 ```
 
-If you use [direnv](https://direnv.net/), these variables will be exported automatically after you run `direnv allow`.
-
 ## Testing
 
 To run the tests we recommend [nextest](https://nexte.st/). Make sure to run the tests with `--all-features`, otherwise you'll miss most of our integration tests.