diff --git a/bin/compose-core b/bin/compose-core
index 6950340..416f49f 100755
--- a/bin/compose-core
+++ b/bin/compose-core
@@ -1716,6 +1716,13 @@ yaml_get_interpret() {
                 return 1
             }
             ;;
+        "!file-content")
+            source=$(echo "$content" | expand_vars) || {
+                err "shell expansion failed"
+                return 1
+            }
+            cat "$source" || return 1
+            ;;
         *)
             err "Invalid object tag ${WHITE}$tag${NORMAL}"
             return 1