diff --git a/bin/compose b/bin/compose
index 47336f5..e6b0fb6 100755
--- a/bin/compose
+++ b/bin/compose
@@ -869,9 +869,9 @@ mk_docker_run_options() {
         esac
     done < <(list_compose_vars)
 
-    compose_file=$(get_compose_file_opt "$COMPOSE_DOCKER_IMAGE" "$@") || return 1
+    ARG_COMPOSE_FILE=$(get_compose_file_opt "$COMPOSE_DOCKER_IMAGE" "$@") || return 1
 
-    if [ -z "$compose_file" ]; then
+    if [ -z "$ARG_COMPOSE_FILE" ]; then
         ## Find a compose.yml in parents
         debug "No config file specified on command line arguments"
         debug "Looking for 'compose.yml' in self and parents.."
@@ -889,6 +889,8 @@ mk_docker_run_options() {
         else
             debug "  .. not found."
         fi
+    else
+        compose_file="$ARG_COMPOSE_FILE"
     fi
 
     if [ -n "$compose_file" ]; then
@@ -917,15 +919,21 @@ mk_docker_run_options() {
     sha=${sha:0:64}
     src="$SESSION_DIR/$UID-$sha"
     dest="/var/lib/compose/sessions/$UID-$sha"
-    {
-        p0 "-v" "$SESSION_DIR/$UID-$sha:$dest:ro"
-        p0 "-e" "COMPOSE_LAUNCHER_OPTS=$dest"
-        p0 "-e" "COMPOSE_LAUNCHER_BIN=$COMPOSE_LAUNCHER_BIN"
-    } >> "$filename"
+    additional_docker_run_opts=(
+        "-v" "$SESSION_DIR/$UID-$sha:$dest:ro"
+        "-e" "COMPOSE_LAUNCHER_OPTS=$dest"
+        "-e" "COMPOSE_LAUNCHER_BIN=$COMPOSE_LAUNCHER_BIN"
+    )
+    p0 "${additional_docker_run_opts[@]}" >> "$filename"
+    docker_run_opts+=("${additional_docker_run_opts[@]}")
+
+    ## keep also some env vars:
+    for var in ARG_COMPOSE_FILE COMPOSE_DOCKER_IMAGE; do
+        p0 "!env:$var=${!var}"
+    done >> "$filename"
 
     mkdir -p "$SESSION_DIR" || return 1
-    mv -f "$filename" "$SESSION_DIR/$UID-$sha" || return 1
-    e "$SESSION_DIR/$UID-$sha"
+    mv -f "$filename" "$src" || return 1
 
     if [ -n "$DEBUG" ]; then
         echo "${WHITE}Environment:${NORMAL}"
@@ -947,25 +955,27 @@ run() {
 
     docker_run_opts=()
     if [ -z "$COMPOSE_LAUNCHER_OPTS" ]; then
-        COMPOSE_LAUNCHER_OPTS="$(mk_docker_run_options "$@")" || return 1
+        mk_docker_run_options "$@" || return 1
+    else
+        while read-0 opt; do
+            if [[ "$opt" == "!env:"* ]]; then
+                opt="${opt##!env:}"
+                var="${opt%%=*}"
+                value="${opt#*=}"
+                debug "Loading var: $var=$value"
+                export "$var"="$value"
+            else
+                docker_run_opts+=("$opt")
+            fi
+        done < <(cat "$COMPOSE_LAUNCHER_OPTS")
     fi
 
-    while read-0 opt; do
-        docker_run_opts+=("$opt")
-        ## catch COMPOSE_DOCKER_IMAGE
-        if [[ "$env" == "true" && "$opt" == "COMPOSE_DOCKER_IMAGE="* ]]; then
-            COMPOSE_DOCKER_IMAGE=${opt##COMPOSE_DOCKER_IMAGE=}
-        elif [ "$opt" == "-e" ]; then
-            env=true
-        else
-            env=
-        fi
-    done < <(cat "$COMPOSE_LAUNCHER_OPTS")
-
     set_os
 
-    array_read-0 cmd_args < <(replace_compose_file_opt "$COMPOSE_DOCKER_IMAGE" "$@")
-    set -- "${cmd_args[@]}"
+    if [ -n "$ARG_COMPOSE_FILE" ]; then
+        array_read-0 cmd_args < <(replace_compose_file_opt "$COMPOSE_DOCKER_IMAGE" "$@")
+        set -- "${cmd_args[@]}"
+    fi
 
     [ -t 0 ] && docker_run_opts+=("-i")
     [ -t 1 ] && docker_run_opts+=("-t")