diff --git a/src/dotenv/main.py b/src/dotenv/main.py
index d17b45cb..878db002 100644
--- a/src/dotenv/main.py
+++ b/src/dotenv/main.py
@@ -382,6 +382,7 @@ def _is_debugger():
 
 def load_dotenv(
     dotenv_path: Optional[StrPath] = None,
+    init_dotenv_path: Optional[StrPath] = None,
     stream: Optional[IO[str]] = None,
     verbose: bool = False,
     override: bool = False,
@@ -392,6 +393,7 @@ def load_dotenv(
 
     Parameters:
         dotenv_path: Absolute or relative path to .env file.
+        init_dotenv_path: TODO
         stream: Text stream (such as `io.StringIO`) with .env content, used if
             `dotenv_path` is `None`.
         verbose: Whether to output a warning the .env file is missing.
@@ -416,6 +418,14 @@ def load_dotenv(
         )
         return False
 
+    if should_copy_init(dotenv_path, init_dotenv_path, stream):
+        copy_dotenv_path = dotenv_path or ".env"
+        logger.warning("Copying %s to %s", init_dotenv_path, copy_dotenv_path)
+        import shutil
+
+        assert init_dotenv_path is not None
+        shutil.copyfile(init_dotenv_path, copy_dotenv_path)
+
     if dotenv_path is None and stream is None:
         dotenv_path = find_dotenv()
 
@@ -430,6 +440,20 @@ def load_dotenv(
     return dotenv.set_as_environment_variables()
 
 
+def should_copy_init(
+    arg_dotenv_path: Optional[StrPath],
+    init_dotenv_path: Optional[StrPath],
+    stream: Optional[IO[str]],
+) -> bool:
+    dotenv_path = arg_dotenv_path or ".env"
+    return bool(
+        (stream is None)
+        and (init_dotenv_path is not None)
+        and os.path.exists(init_dotenv_path)
+        and (not os.path.exists(dotenv_path))
+    )
+
+
 def dotenv_values(
     dotenv_path: Optional[StrPath] = None,
     stream: Optional[IO[str]] = None,