diff --git a/api/main.py b/api/main.py
index eba97d6..783cc1b 100644
--- a/api/main.py
+++ b/api/main.py
@@ -6,7 +6,29 @@
 from dotenv import load_dotenv
 
 # Load environment variables from the .env file
-load_dotenv()
+if load_dotenv():
+    print(".env file loaded successfully.")
+else:
+    print("No .env file found or failed to load. Ensure environment variables are set.")
+
+# List of required environment variables for Firebase
+required_env_vars = [
+    "FIREBASE_PROJECT_ID",
+    "FIREBASE_PRIVATE_KEY_ID",
+    "FIREBASE_PRIVATE_KEY",
+    "FIREBASE_CLIENT_EMAIL",
+    "FIREBASE_CLIENT_ID",
+    "FIREBASE_AUTH_URI",
+    "FIREBASE_TOKEN_URI",
+    "FIREBASE_AUTH_PROVIDER_CERT_URL",
+    "FIREBASE_CLIENT_CERT_URL"
+]
+
+# Check for missing environment variables
+missing_vars = [var for var in required_env_vars if not os.getenv(var)]
+if missing_vars:
+    print(f"Error: Missing required environment variables: {', '.join(missing_vars)}")
+    exit(1)  # Exit the application if critical variables are missing
 
 # Initialize the Flask app
 app = Flask(__name__)
@@ -26,23 +48,34 @@
     "client_x509_cert_url": os.getenv("FIREBASE_CLIENT_CERT_URL")
 }
 
-# Initialize Firebase Admin SDK with the credentials from the environment variables
-cred = credentials.Certificate(firebase_credentials)
-firebase_admin.initialize_app(cred)
+try:
+    # Initialize Firebase Admin SDK
+    cred = credentials.Certificate(firebase_credentials)
+    firebase_admin.initialize_app(cred)
+
+    # Initialize Firestore
+    db = firestore.client()
+    print("Firebase Admin SDK initialized successfully.")
 
-# Initialize Firestore
-db = firestore.client()
+except Exception as e:
+    print(f"Error initializing Firebase Admin SDK: {e}")
+    db = None  # Graceful fallback if Firebase initialization fails
 
 # Import and register blueprints
-from auth.signup import signup_bp
-from auth.login import login_bp
+try:
+    from auth.signup import signup_bp
+    from auth.login import login_bp
 
-app.register_blueprint(signup_bp)
-app.register_blueprint(login_bp)
+    app.register_blueprint(signup_bp)
+    app.register_blueprint(login_bp)
+    print("Auth blueprints registered successfully.")
+except ImportError as e:
+    print(f"Error importing blueprints: {e}")
 
 @app.route('/')
 def home():
     return "Welcome to the Flask App"
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    app.run(debug=True, port=3000)
\ No newline at end of file
+    port = int(os.getenv("PORT", 3000))  # Default to port 3000 if not specified
+    app.run(debug=True, port=port)