diff --git a/crudkit/config.py b/crudkit/config.py
index 8d1195a..ee3f3c1 100644
--- a/crudkit/config.py
+++ b/crudkit/config.py
@@ -25,17 +25,27 @@ def _load_dotenv_if_present() -> None:
     if path_hint:
         p = Path(path_hint).resolve()
         if p.exists():
-            load_dotenv(dotenv_path=p, override=False)
+            load_dotenv(dotenv_path=p, override=True)
+            os.environ["CRUDKIT_DOTENV_LOADED"] = str(p)
             return
 
-    repo_env = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2] / ".env"
+    repo_env = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1] / ".env"
     if repo_env.exists():
-        load_dotenv(dotenv_path=repo_env, override=False)
+        load_dotenv(dotenv_path=repo_env, override=True)
+        os.environ["CRUDKIT_DOTENV_LOADED"] = str(repo_env)
         return
 
     cwd_env = Path.cwd() / ".env"
     if cwd_env.exists():
-        load_dotenv(dotenv_path=cwd_env, override=False)
+        load_dotenv(dotenv_path=cwd_env, override=True)
+        os.environ["CRUDKIT_DOTENV_LOADED"] = str(cwd_env)
+
+def _getenv(name: str, default: Optional[str] = None) -> Optional[str]:
+    """Treat empty strings as missing. Hekos when OS env has DB_BACKEND=''."""
+    val = os.getenv(name)
+    if val is None or val.strip() == "":
+        return default
+    return val
 
 def build_database_url(
     *,
@@ -79,7 +89,7 @@ def build_database_url(
         qs = ""
         if options:
             qs = "?" + "&".join(f"{k}={quote_plus(v)}" for k, v in options.items())
-        return f"postgresel+{driver}://{creds}{host}:{port}/{database}{qs}"
+        return f"postgresql+{driver}://{creds}{host}:{port}/{database}{qs}"
 
     if backend == "mysql":
         driver = driver or "pymysql"
@@ -141,23 +151,23 @@ class Config:
 
     DEBUG = False
     TESTING = False
-    SECRET_KEY = os.getenv("SECRET_KEY", "dev-not-secret")
+    SECRET_KEY = _getenv("SECRET_KEY", "dev-not-secret")
 
     if not _dotenv_loaded:
         _load_dotenv_if_present()
         _dotenv_loaded = True
 
     DATABASE_URL = build_database_url(
-        url=os.getenv("DATABASE_URL"),
-        backend=os.getenv("DB_BACKEND"),
-        user=os.getenv("DB_USER"),
-        password=os.getenv("DB_PASS"),
-        host=os.getenv("DB_HOST"),
-        port=os.getenv("DB_PORT"),
-        database=os.getenv("DB_NAME"),
-        driver=os.getenv("DB_DRIVER"),
-        dsn=os.getenv("DB_DSN"),
-        trusted=bool(int(os.getenv("DB_TRUSTED", "0"))),
+        url=_getenv("DATABASE_URL"),
+        backend=_getenv("DB_BACKEND"),
+        user=_getenv("DB_USER"),
+        password=_getenv("DB_PASS"),
+        host=_getenv("DB_HOST"),
+        port=_getenv("DB_PORT"),
+        database=_getenv("DB_NAME"),
+        driver=_getenv("DB_DRIVER"),
+        dsn=_getenv("DB_DSN"),
+        trusted=bool(int(_getenv("DB_TRUSTED", "0"))),
         options=None,
     )
 
@@ -220,7 +230,7 @@ class ProdConfig(Config):
 
 def get_config(name: str | None) -> Type[Config]:
     """
-    Resolve config by name. None -> environment variable CRUDKIT_END or 'dev'.
+    Resolve config by name. None -> environment variable CRUDKIT_ENV or 'dev'.
     """
     env = (name or os.getenv("CRUDKIT_ENV") or "dev").lower()
     if env in {"prod", "production"}: