diff --git a/docs/CHANGELOG.md b/docs/CHANGELOG.md
index a9a7b702..fb603c12 100644
--- a/docs/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/docs/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Release History
 
-## v4.1.0 (2022-05-23)
+## v4.1.0 (2022-05-24)
 
 - feat: add `wiki` sub-command to open httprunner website
 
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
 - fix #1308: load `.env` file as environment variables
 - fix #1309: locate plugin file upward recursively until system root dir
+- refactor: move base_url to config env
 
 ## v4.1.0-beta (2022-05-21)
 
diff --git a/examples/demo-with-go-plugin/.env b/examples/demo-with-go-plugin/.env
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..59ecc742
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/demo-with-go-plugin/.env
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+base_url=https://postman-echo.com
+USERNAME=debugtalk
+PASSWORD=123456
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/demo-with-go-plugin/.gitignore b/examples/demo-with-go-plugin/.gitignore
index 33401380..4c8cb60c 100644
--- a/examples/demo-with-go-plugin/.gitignore
+++ b/examples/demo-with-go-plugin/.gitignore
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-.env
 reports/
 *.so
 .vscode/
diff --git a/examples/demo-with-go-plugin/proj.json b/examples/demo-with-go-plugin/proj.json
index b8ac381a..3abb9f72 100644
--- a/examples/demo-with-go-plugin/proj.json
+++ b/examples/demo-with-go-plugin/proj.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
     "project_name": "demo-with-go-plugin",
     "project_path": "/Users/debugtalk/MyProjects/HttpRunner-dev/httprunner/examples/demo-with-go-plugin",
-    "create_time": "2022-05-24T11:10:10.127839+08:00",
+    "create_time": "2022-05-24T22:21:23.330967+08:00",
     "hrp_version": "v4.1.0-beta"
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/demo-with-go-plugin/testcases/requests.yml b/examples/demo-with-go-plugin/testcases/requests.yml
index 5ed53dd8..bc9aa108 100644
--- a/examples/demo-with-go-plugin/testcases/requests.yml
+++ b/examples/demo-with-go-plugin/testcases/requests.yml
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ config:
         foo2: config_bar2
         expect_foo1: config_bar1
         expect_foo2: config_bar2
-    base_url: "https://postman-echo.com"
     verify: False
     export: ["foo3"]
 
@@ -18,7 +17,7 @@ teststeps:
         sum_v: "${sum_two_int(1, 2)}"
     request:
         method: GET
-        url: /get
+        url: $base_url/get
         params:
             foo1: $foo1
             foo2: $foo2
@@ -39,7 +38,7 @@ teststeps:
         foo3: "bar32"
     request:
         method: POST
-        url: /post
+        url: $base_url/post
         headers:
             User-Agent: funplugin/${get_version()}
             Content-Type: "text/plain"
@@ -53,7 +52,7 @@ teststeps:
         foo2: bar23
     request:
         method: POST
-        url: /post
+        url: $base_url/post
         headers:
             User-Agent: funplugin/${get_version()}
             Content-Type: "application/x-www-form-urlencoded"
diff --git a/examples/demo-with-py-plugin/.env b/examples/demo-with-py-plugin/.env
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..59ecc742
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/demo-with-py-plugin/.env
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+base_url=https://postman-echo.com
+USERNAME=debugtalk
+PASSWORD=123456
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/demo-with-py-plugin/.gitignore b/examples/demo-with-py-plugin/.gitignore
index 33401380..4c8cb60c 100644
--- a/examples/demo-with-py-plugin/.gitignore
+++ b/examples/demo-with-py-plugin/.gitignore
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-.env
 reports/
 *.so
 .vscode/
diff --git a/examples/demo-with-py-plugin/proj.json b/examples/demo-with-py-plugin/proj.json
index fd0b8628..131f18a1 100644
--- a/examples/demo-with-py-plugin/proj.json
+++ b/examples/demo-with-py-plugin/proj.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
     "project_name": "demo-with-py-plugin",
     "project_path": "/Users/debugtalk/MyProjects/HttpRunner-dev/httprunner/examples/demo-with-py-plugin",
-    "create_time": "2022-05-24T11:10:15.544763+08:00",
+    "create_time": "2022-05-24T22:21:30.722372+08:00",
     "hrp_version": "v4.1.0-beta"
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/demo-with-py-plugin/testcases/requests.yml b/examples/demo-with-py-plugin/testcases/requests.yml
index 5ed53dd8..bc9aa108 100644
--- a/examples/demo-with-py-plugin/testcases/requests.yml
+++ b/examples/demo-with-py-plugin/testcases/requests.yml
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ config:
         foo2: config_bar2
         expect_foo1: config_bar1
         expect_foo2: config_bar2
-    base_url: "https://postman-echo.com"
     verify: False
     export: ["foo3"]
 
@@ -18,7 +17,7 @@ teststeps:
         sum_v: "${sum_two_int(1, 2)}"
     request:
         method: GET
-        url: /get
+        url: $base_url/get
         params:
             foo1: $foo1
             foo2: $foo2
@@ -39,7 +38,7 @@ teststeps:
         foo3: "bar32"
     request:
         method: POST
-        url: /post
+        url: $base_url/post
         headers:
             User-Agent: funplugin/${get_version()}
             Content-Type: "text/plain"
@@ -53,7 +52,7 @@ teststeps:
         foo2: bar23
     request:
         method: POST
-        url: /post
+        url: $base_url/post
         headers:
             User-Agent: funplugin/${get_version()}
             Content-Type: "application/x-www-form-urlencoded"
diff --git a/examples/demo-without-plugin/.env b/examples/demo-without-plugin/.env
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..59ecc742
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/demo-without-plugin/.env
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+base_url=https://postman-echo.com
+USERNAME=debugtalk
+PASSWORD=123456
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/demo-without-plugin/.gitignore b/examples/demo-without-plugin/.gitignore
index 33401380..4c8cb60c 100644
--- a/examples/demo-without-plugin/.gitignore
+++ b/examples/demo-without-plugin/.gitignore
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-.env
 reports/
 *.so
 .vscode/
diff --git a/examples/demo-without-plugin/proj.json b/examples/demo-without-plugin/proj.json
index c6eef7d9..c6b74b20 100644
--- a/examples/demo-without-plugin/proj.json
+++ b/examples/demo-without-plugin/proj.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
     "project_name": "demo-without-plugin",
     "project_path": "/Users/debugtalk/MyProjects/HttpRunner-dev/httprunner/examples/demo-without-plugin",
-    "create_time": "2022-05-24T11:10:16.993462+08:00",
+    "create_time": "2022-05-24T22:21:31.676833+08:00",
     "hrp_version": "v4.1.0-beta"
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/hrp/config.go b/hrp/config.go
index 76912aa7..7439489d 100644
--- a/hrp/config.go
+++ b/hrp/config.go
@@ -20,10 +20,10 @@ func NewConfig(name string) *TConfig {
 type TConfig struct {
 	Name              string                 `json:"name" yaml:"name"` // required
 	Verify            bool                   `json:"verify,omitempty" yaml:"verify,omitempty"`
-	BaseURL           string                 `json:"base_url,omitempty" yaml:"base_url,omitempty"`
-	Headers           map[string]string      `json:"headers,omitempty" yaml:"headers,omitempty"`
-	Env               map[string]string      `json:"env,omitempty" yaml:"env,omitempty"`
-	Variables         map[string]interface{} `json:"variables,omitempty" yaml:"variables,omitempty"`
+	BaseURL           string                 `json:"base_url,omitempty" yaml:"base_url,omitempty"`   // deprecated in v4.1, moved to env
+	Headers           map[string]string      `json:"headers,omitempty" yaml:"headers,omitempty"`     // public request headers
+	Env               map[string]string      `json:"env,omitempty" yaml:"env,omitempty"`             // environment variables
+	Variables         map[string]interface{} `json:"variables,omitempty" yaml:"variables,omitempty"` // global variables
 	Parameters        map[string]interface{} `json:"parameters,omitempty" yaml:"parameters,omitempty"`
 	ParametersSetting *TParamsConfig         `json:"parameters_setting,omitempty" yaml:"parameters_setting,omitempty"`
 	ThinkTimeSetting  *ThinkTimeConfig       `json:"think_time,omitempty" yaml:"think_time,omitempty"`
diff --git a/hrp/internal/builtin/utils.go b/hrp/internal/builtin/utils.go
index 8bdc661d..170c39d0 100644
--- a/hrp/internal/builtin/utils.go
+++ b/hrp/internal/builtin/utils.go
@@ -314,8 +314,7 @@ func parseEnvContent(file []byte, obj interface{}) error {
 		var kv []string
 		if strings.Contains(line, "=") {
 			kv = strings.SplitN(line, "=", 2)
-		}
-		if strings.Contains(line, ":") {
+		} else if strings.Contains(line, ":") {
 			kv = strings.SplitN(line, ":", 2)
 		}
 		if len(kv) != 2 {
diff --git a/hrp/internal/scaffold/templates/env b/hrp/internal/scaffold/templates/env
index 9b5dc360..59ecc742 100644
--- a/hrp/internal/scaffold/templates/env
+++ b/hrp/internal/scaffold/templates/env
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
+base_url=https://postman-echo.com
 USERNAME=debugtalk
 PASSWORD=123456
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/hrp/internal/scaffold/templates/gitignore b/hrp/internal/scaffold/templates/gitignore
index 33401380..4c8cb60c 100644
--- a/hrp/internal/scaffold/templates/gitignore
+++ b/hrp/internal/scaffold/templates/gitignore
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-.env
 reports/
 *.so
 .vscode/
diff --git a/hrp/internal/scaffold/templates/testcases/demo_requests.yml b/hrp/internal/scaffold/templates/testcases/demo_requests.yml
index 5ed53dd8..bc9aa108 100644
--- a/hrp/internal/scaffold/templates/testcases/demo_requests.yml
+++ b/hrp/internal/scaffold/templates/testcases/demo_requests.yml
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ config:
         foo2: config_bar2
         expect_foo1: config_bar1
         expect_foo2: config_bar2
-    base_url: "https://postman-echo.com"
     verify: False
     export: ["foo3"]
 
@@ -18,7 +17,7 @@ teststeps:
         sum_v: "${sum_two_int(1, 2)}"
     request:
         method: GET
-        url: /get
+        url: $base_url/get
         params:
             foo1: $foo1
             foo2: $foo2
@@ -39,7 +38,7 @@ teststeps:
         foo3: "bar32"
     request:
         method: POST
-        url: /post
+        url: $base_url/post
         headers:
             User-Agent: funplugin/${get_version()}
             Content-Type: "text/plain"
@@ -53,7 +52,7 @@ teststeps:
         foo2: bar23
     request:
         method: POST
-        url: /post
+        url: $base_url/post
         headers:
             User-Agent: funplugin/${get_version()}
             Content-Type: "application/x-www-form-urlencoded"
diff --git a/hrp/runner.go b/hrp/runner.go
index 62a9a6b7..b824d855 100644
--- a/hrp/runner.go
+++ b/hrp/runner.go
@@ -287,6 +287,19 @@ func (r *testCaseRunner) parseConfig() error {
 	}
 	r.parsedConfig.BaseURL = convertString(parsedBaseURL)
 
+	// merge config environment variables with base_url
+	// priority: env base_url > base_url
+	r.parsedConfig.Env = cfg.Env
+	if value, ok := r.parsedConfig.Env["base_url"]; !ok || value == "" {
+		r.parsedConfig.Env["base_url"] = r.parsedConfig.BaseURL
+	}
+
+	// merge config variables with environment variables
+	// priority: env > config variables
+	for k, v := range r.parsedConfig.Env {
+		r.parsedConfig.Variables[k] = v
+	}
+
 	// ensure correction of think time config
 	r.parsedConfig.ThinkTimeSetting.checkThinkTime()
 
diff --git a/hrp/step_request.go b/hrp/step_request.go
index d4e17e99..39e15d74 100644
--- a/hrp/step_request.go
+++ b/hrp/step_request.go
@@ -145,7 +145,8 @@ func (r *requestBuilder) prepareUrlParams(stepVariables map[string]interface{})
 		log.Error().Err(err).Msg("parse request url failed")
 		return err
 	}
-	rawUrl := buildURL(r.config.BaseURL, convertString(requestUrl))
+	baseURL := stepVariables["base_url"].(string)
+	rawUrl := buildURL(baseURL, convertString(requestUrl))
 
 	// prepare request params
 	var queryParams url.Values
diff --git a/hrp/testcase.go b/hrp/testcase.go
index 0aa548ec..348524c8 100644
--- a/hrp/testcase.go
+++ b/hrp/testcase.go
@@ -83,11 +83,20 @@ func (path *TestCasePath) ToTestCase() (*TestCase, error) {
 	// load .env file
 	dotEnvPath := filepath.Join(projectRootDir, ".env")
 	if builtin.IsFilePathExists(dotEnvPath) {
-		testCase.Config.Env = make(map[string]string)
-		err = builtin.LoadFile(dotEnvPath, testCase.Config.Env)
+		envVars := make(map[string]string)
+		err = builtin.LoadFile(dotEnvPath, envVars)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "failed to load .env file")
 		}
+
+		// override testcase config env with variables loaded from .env file
+		// priority: .env file > testcase config env
+		if testCase.Config.Env == nil {
+			testCase.Config.Env = make(map[string]string)
+		}
+		for key, value := range envVars {
+			testCase.Config.Env[key] = value
+		}
 	}
 
 	for _, step := range tc.TestSteps {