diff --git a/.env.dev b/.env.dev
index baed5be..8f6619e 100755
--- a/.env.dev
+++ b/.env.dev
@@ -3,3 +3,6 @@ WEBCAM_PORT=/dev/null
 RLSENSE_PORT=/dev/null
 TEENSY_PORT=/dev/null
 FEATHER_PORT=/dev/null
+ROOT_DIR="/rb_ws/src/buggy"
+SCRIPTS_DIR="$ROOT_DIR/buggy"
+
diff --git a/docker-dev.yml b/docker-dev.yml
index 65470a1..c2000e5 100755
--- a/docker-dev.yml
+++ b/docker-dev.yml
@@ -12,8 +12,12 @@ services:
       - "${FEATHER_PORT:-/dev/null}:/dev/ttyACM1"
     stdin_open: true # docker run -i
     tty: true # docker run -t
+    env_file: .env.dev
     environment:
       - DISPLAY=host.docker.internal:0
+      - ROOT_DIR=${ROOT_DIR:-/rb_ws/src/buggy}
+      - SCRIPTS_DIR=${SCRIPTS_DIR:-/rb_ws/src/buggy/buggy}
+      - PYTHONPATH=${SCRIPTS_DIR:-/rb_ws/src/buggy/buggy}
     hostname: main
     ports:
       - "0.0.0.0:8765:8765" # foxglove bridge
diff --git a/rb_ws/src/buggy/buggy/controller/controller_node.py b/rb_ws/src/buggy/buggy/controller/controller_node.py
index 9d13593..df1b418 100644
--- a/rb_ws/src/buggy/buggy/controller/controller_node.py
+++ b/rb_ws/src/buggy/buggy/controller/controller_node.py
@@ -1,15 +1,11 @@
 import threading
-import sys
-
 import numpy as np
-
 import rclpy
 from rclpy.node import Node
 
 from std_msgs.msg import Float32, Float64, Bool
 from nav_msgs.msg import Odometry
 
-sys.path.append("/rb_ws/src/buggy/buggy")
 from util.trajectory import Trajectory
 from controller.stanley_controller import StanleyController
 
@@ -21,7 +17,7 @@ def __init__(self):
 
         Creates a ROS node with a publisher that periodically sends a message
         indicating whether the node is still alive.
-        
+
         """
         super().__init__('controller')
         self.get_logger().info('INITIALIZED.')
diff --git a/rb_ws/src/buggy/buggy/controller/controller_superclass.py b/rb_ws/src/buggy/buggy/controller/controller_superclass.py
index f960de7..905d606 100644
--- a/rb_ws/src/buggy/buggy/controller/controller_superclass.py
+++ b/rb_ws/src/buggy/buggy/controller/controller_superclass.py
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
-import sys
 
 from nav_msgs.msg import Odometry
 
 
-sys.path.append("/rb_ws/src/buggy/buggy")
 from util.trajectory import Trajectory
 
 class Controller(ABC):
diff --git a/rb_ws/src/buggy/buggy/controller/stanley_controller.py b/rb_ws/src/buggy/buggy/controller/stanley_controller.py
index 3407653..b5f69ca 100644
--- a/rb_ws/src/buggy/buggy/controller/stanley_controller.py
+++ b/rb_ws/src/buggy/buggy/controller/stanley_controller.py
@@ -1,11 +1,9 @@
-import sys
 import numpy as np
 
 from sensor_msgs.msg import NavSatFix
 from geometry_msgs.msg import Pose as ROSPose
 from nav_msgs.msg import Odometry
 
-sys.path.append("/rb_ws/src/buggy/buggy")
 from util.trajectory import Trajectory
 from controller.controller_superclass import Controller
 from util.pose import Pose
diff --git a/rb_ws/src/buggy/buggy/simulator/engine.py b/rb_ws/src/buggy/buggy/simulator/engine.py
index 6c7e7ad..b6047f1 100644
--- a/rb_ws/src/buggy/buggy/simulator/engine.py
+++ b/rb_ws/src/buggy/buggy/simulator/engine.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #! /usr/bin/env python3
 import threading
-import sys
+
 import rclpy
 from rclpy.node import Node
 from geometry_msgs.msg import Pose, Twist, PoseWithCovariance, TwistWithCovariance
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@
 from nav_msgs.msg import Odometry
 import numpy as np
 import utm
-sys.path.append("/rb_ws/src/buggy/buggy")
 from util.constants import Constants
 
 class Simulator(Node):
@@ -19,7 +18,6 @@ def __init__(self):
         super().__init__('sim_single')
         self.get_logger().info('INITIALIZED.')
 
-
         self.starting_poses = {
             "Hill1_NAND": (Constants.UTM_EAST_ZERO + 0, Constants.UTM_NORTH_ZERO + 0, -110),
             "Hill1_SC": (Constants.UTM_EAST_ZERO + 20, Constants.UTM_NORTH_ZERO + 30, -110),