[Feature Request] Allow "Run Service" codelens in Docker Compose to use custom --env-file

[sxflynn]

My Docker Compose uses environment variables inline.

ddb-startup:
        depends_on:
            dynamodb:
                condition: service_healthy
        image: ${AWS_CLI_IMAGE}:${AWS_CLI_VERSION}

This is my file .env.docker

AWS_CLI_IMAGE=amazon/aws-cli
AWS_CLI_VERSION=2.33.2

I have a Makefile target which runs this command: docker compose up --env-file .env.docker and it works great.

However, when I click the "Run Service" button in VS Code, I get this error:

 *  Executing task: docker compose -f 'docker-compose.yml' up -d --build 's3mock' 
WARN[0000] The "AWS_CLI_IMAGE" variable is not set. Defaulting to a blank string. 
WARN[0000] The "AWS_CLI_VERSION" variable is not set. Defaulting to a blank string. 
unable to get image ':': Error response from daemon: invalid reference format

It would be nice if there was a config option in settings.json to point to a custom --env-file flag. Otherwise I am unable to use this feature.

Edit: It seems like the issue is that --env-file is not one of the supported flags that is passed in, according to https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-containers/blob/main/src/commands/selectCommandTemplate.ts#L81

I do apologize if I'm in the wrong repo as I'm not fully sure the different between vscode-docker and vscode-containers

[adamkirchhofer78-commits]

Hi Stephen, Thank you for that, I really appreciate it. If there is anything I can help with, please don't hesitate to ask. Best regards, ***@***.*** Phone+61428199781

…

On Wed, 17 Jun 2026 at 08:53, Stephen Flynn ***@***.***> wrote: *sxflynn* created an issue (microsoft/vscode-docker#4674) <#4674> My Docker Compose uses environment variables inline. ddb-startup: depends_on: dynamodb: condition: service_healthy image: ${AWS_CLI_IMAGE}:${AWS_CLI_VERSION} This is my file .env.docker S3_MOCK_IMAGE=adobe/s3mock S3_MOCK_VERSION=5.0.0 I have a Makefile target which runs this command: docker compose up --env-file .env.docker and it works great. However, when I click the "Run Service" button in VS Code, I get this error: * Executing task: docker compose -f 'docker-compose.yml' up -d --build 's3mock' WARN[0000] The "S3_MOCK_IMAGE" variable is not set. Defaulting to a blank string. WARN[0000] The "S3_MOCK_VERSION" variable is not set. Defaulting to a blank string. unable to get image ':': Error response from daemon: invalid reference format It would be nice if there was a config option in settings.json to point to a custom --env-file flag. Otherwise I am unable to use this feature. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#4674?email_source=notifications&email_token=BWLAP5GXIM5HMQX6OG7DXKT5AHFYLA5CNFSL4Z3JMQ5C6L3HNF2C22DVMIXUS43TOVSS6NBWG44DKMBTG43THJTSMVQXG33OVJZXKYTTMNZGSYTFMSSWK5TFNZ2KYZTPN52GK4S7MNWGSY3L>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/BWLAP5BMHRIXS7TX2CKZGOD5AHFYLAVCNFSNUABEKJSXA33TNF2G64TZHM2DINBRGU2DMOJ3JFZXG5LFHM2DMNZYGUYDGNZXGOQXMAQ> . You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[adamkirchhofer78-commits]

Thought this might be a great idea should always make it easy if possible

[adamkirchhofer78-commits]

P nice one thank you so much for that that's awesome