diff --git a/bin/compose-core b/bin/compose-core
index 5be316f..e304e2a 100755
--- a/bin/compose-core
+++ b/bin/compose-core
@@ -818,7 +818,7 @@ _dcmd() {
 
     debug "Db> $command $@"
 
-    if [ -f "$HOST_DB_PASSFILE" -a "$CLIENT_DB_PASSFILE" ]; then
+    if [ "$HOST_DB_PASSFILE" -a -f "$LOCAL_DB_PASSFILE" -a "$CLIENT_DB_PASSFILE" ]; then
         verb "Found and using '$HOST_DB_PASSFILE' as '$CLIENT_DB_PASSFILE'."
         docker_opts=("${db_docker_opts[@]}" "-v" "$HOST_DB_PASSFILE:$CLIENT_DB_PASSFILE")
     else