diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index bc53af53..dd3ee4b9 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -283,6 +283,12 @@ take precedence over the contents of an `.env` file.**
 - [`DEBUG`](#debug)
 - [`NAP_START_MAX`](#nap_start_max)
 - [`NAP_START_MIN`](#nap_start_min)
+- [`DB_ENGINE`](#db_engine)
+- [`DB_HOST`](#db_host)
+- ['DB_NAME'](#db_name)
+- [`DB_PASSWORD`](#db_password)
+- [`DB_PORT`](#db_port)
+- [`DB_USER`](#db_user)
 - [`SECRET_KEY`](#secret_key)
 - [`TIME_ZONE`](#time_zone)
 - [`USE_24_HOUR_TIME_FORMAT`](#use_24_hour_time_format)
@@ -354,6 +360,44 @@ entry is consider a nap. Expects the 24-hour format %H:%M.
 The minimum *start* time (in the instance's time zone) after which a sleep
 entry is considered a nap. Expects the 24-hour format %H:%M.
 
+### 'DB_ENGINE'
+
+*Default: django.db.backends.postgresql*
+
+The database engine utilized for the deployment.
+
+See also [Django's documentation on the ENGINE setting](https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/3.0/ref/settings/#engine) .
+
+### 'DB_HOST'
+
+*Default: db*
+
+The name of the database host for the deployment.
+
+### 'DB_NAME'
+
+*Default: postgres*
+
+The name of the database table utilized for the deployment.
+
+### 'DB_PASSWORD'
+
+*No Default*
+
+The password for the database user for the deployment. In the default example, this is the root PostgreSQL password.
+
+### 'DB_PORT'
+
+*Default: 5432*
+
+The listening port for the database. The default port is 5432 for PostgreSQL.
+
+### 'DB_USER'
+
+*Default: postgres*
+
+The database username utilized for the deployment.
+
 ### `SECRET_KEY`
 
 *Default: None*
diff --git a/babybuddy/settings/docker.py b/babybuddy/settings/docker.py
index afc8c766..2300780e 100644
--- a/babybuddy/settings/docker.py
+++ b/babybuddy/settings/docker.py
@@ -4,13 +4,14 @@ from .base import *
 # Database
 # https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/3.0/ref/settings/#databases
 
+# Load settings from env file / variables with fallback defaults to support current psql deployment
 DATABASES = {
     'default': {
-        'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.postgresql_psycopg2',
-        'NAME': 'postgres',
-        'USER': 'postgres',
-        'PASSWORD': os.environ.get('POSTGRES_PASSWORD'),
-        'HOST': 'db',
-        'PORT': 5432,
+        'ENGINE': os.getenv('DB_ENGINE') or 'django.db.backends.postgresql_psycopg2',
+        'NAME': os.getenv('DB_NAME') or 'postgres',
+        'USER': os.getenv('DB_USER') or 'postgres',
+        'PASSWORD': os.environ.get('DB_PASSWORD') or os.environ.get('POSTGRES_PASSWORD'),
+        'HOST': os.getenv('DB_HOST') or 'db',
+        'PORT': os.getenv('DB_PORT') or 5432,
     }
 }
diff --git a/docker-compose.example.yml b/docker-compose.example.yml
index 6a11e615..39b244a0 100644
--- a/docker-compose.example.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.example.yml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ services:
     image: postgres:11 # pin postgres to a major version
     environment:
       - PGDATA=/db-data
-      - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=postgres # has to correspond with POSTGRES_PASSWORD in APP
+      - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=postgres # has to correspond with DB_PASSWORD in APP
     volumes:
       - db:/db-data:rw
   app:
@@ -12,10 +12,10 @@ services:
     # See README.md#configuration for other environment configuration options.
     environment:
       - ALLOWED_HOSTS=
+      - DB_PASSWORD=postgres # has to correspond with POSTGRES_PASSWORD in DB
       - DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE=babybuddy.settings.docker
       - SECRET_KEY=
       - TIME_ZONE=
-      - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=postgres
       - DEBUG=False # Turn to False in production
     volumes:
       - media:/app/media:rw