diff --git a/task_test.go b/task_test.go
index 52a147f02a..dc525e86e1 100644
--- a/task_test.go
+++ b/task_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package task_test
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"cmp"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"io/fs"
@@ -1639,20 +1640,30 @@ func TestDotenvShouldIncludeAllEnvFiles(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
-func TestDotenvShouldErrorWhenIncludingDependantDotenvs(t *testing.T) {
+func TestDotenvIncludeDotenvs(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 
-	var buff bytes.Buffer
-	e := task.NewExecutor(
-		task.WithDir("testdata/dotenv/error_included_envs"),
-		task.WithSummary(true),
-		task.WithStdout(&buff),
-		task.WithStderr(&buff),
-	)
-
-	err := e.Setup()
-	require.Error(t, err)
-	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "move the dotenv")
+	tests := []struct {
+		name string
+		dir  string
+		call string
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "included dotenv has priority",
+			dir:  "testdata/dotenv/included_envs",
+		},
+	}
+	for _, test := range tests {
+		NewExecutorTest(t,
+			WithName(test.name),
+			WithExecutorOptions(
+				task.WithDir(test.dir),
+				task.WithSilent(true),
+				task.WithForce(true),
+			),
+			WithTask(cmp.Or(test.call, "default")),
+		)
+	}
 }
 
 func TestDotenvShouldAllowMissingEnv(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/taskfile/ast/taskfile.go b/taskfile/ast/taskfile.go
index 8085e41b63..ede5e682dd 100644
--- a/taskfile/ast/taskfile.go
+++ b/taskfile/ast/taskfile.go
@@ -2,12 +2,15 @@ package ast
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"slices"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/Masterminds/semver/v3"
 	"go.yaml.in/yaml/v4"
 
 	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/errors"
+	"github.com/go-task/task/v3/internal/filepathext"
 )
 
 // NamespaceSeparator contains the character that separates namespaces
@@ -15,9 +18,6 @@ const NamespaceSeparator = ":"
 
 var V3 = semver.MustParse("3")
 
-// ErrIncludedTaskfilesCantHaveDotenvs is returned when a included Taskfile contains dotenvs
-var ErrIncludedTaskfilesCantHaveDotenvs = errors.New("task: Included Taskfiles can't have dotenv declarations. Please, move the dotenv declaration to the main Taskfile")
-
 // Taskfile is the abstract syntax tree for a Taskfile
 type Taskfile struct {
 	Location string
@@ -41,8 +41,11 @@ func (t1 *Taskfile) Merge(t2 *Taskfile, include *Include) error {
 	if !t1.Version.Equal(t2.Version) {
 		return fmt.Errorf(`task: Taskfiles versions should match. First is "%s" but second is "%s"`, t1.Version, t2.Version)
 	}
-	if len(t2.Dotenv) > 0 {
-		return ErrIncludedTaskfilesCantHaveDotenvs
+	for _, dotenvfile := range t2.Dotenv {
+		fp := filepathext.SmartJoin(filepath.Dir(t2.Location), dotenvfile)
+		if !slices.Contains(t1.Dotenv, fp) {
+			t1.Dotenv = append([]string{fp}, t1.Dotenv...)
+		}
 	}
 	if t2.Output.IsSet() {
 		t1.Output = t2.Output
diff --git a/testdata/dotenv/included_envs/Taskfile.yaml b/testdata/dotenv/included_envs/Taskfile.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a13d69979b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/dotenv/included_envs/Taskfile.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+version: '3'
+
+silent: true
+
+dotenv:
+  - dotenv.txt
+
+includes:
+  foo: ./inc/Taskfile.yaml
+
+tasks:
+  default:
+    cmds:
+      - echo "var FOO = {{.FOO}}"
+      - echo "env FOO = $FOO"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/testdata/dotenv/included_envs/inc/Taskfile.yaml b/testdata/dotenv/included_envs/inc/Taskfile.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1eeb62d319
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/dotenv/included_envs/inc/Taskfile.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+version: '3'
+
+dotenv:
+  - dotenv.txt
+
+tasks:
+  default:
+    cmds:
+      - echo "FOO = {{.FOO}}"
+      - echo "FOO = $FOO"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/testdata/dotenv/included_envs/testdata/TestDotenvIncludeDotenvs-included_dotenv_has_priority.golden b/testdata/dotenv/included_envs/testdata/TestDotenvIncludeDotenvs-included_dotenv_has_priority.golden
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b3efe10677
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/dotenv/included_envs/testdata/TestDotenvIncludeDotenvs-included_dotenv_has_priority.golden
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+var FOO = bar
+env FOO = bar