diff --git a/docs/command-reference.md b/docs/command-reference.md
index 4f7a314678a..628a1e50b9e 100644
--- a/docs/command-reference.md
+++ b/docs/command-reference.md
@@ -1391,6 +1391,7 @@ Flags:
 - :whale: `-p, --project-name`: Specify an alternate project name
 - :nerd_face: `--ipfs-address`: Multiaddr of IPFS API (default uses `$IPFS_PATH` env variable if defined or local directory `~/.ipfs`)
 - :whale: `--profile: Specify a profile to enable
+- :whale: `--env-file` : Specify an alternate environment file
 
 ### :whale: nerdctl compose up
 
diff --git a/pkg/composer/up_service.go b/pkg/composer/up_service.go
index 7bd6ea48c92..85010f25ce9 100644
--- a/pkg/composer/up_service.go
+++ b/pkg/composer/up_service.go
@@ -175,6 +175,10 @@ func (c *Composer) upServiceContainer(ctx context.Context, service *serviceparse
 	defer os.RemoveAll(tempDir)
 	cidFilename := filepath.Join(tempDir, "cid")
 
+	if c.EnvFile != "" {
+		container.RunArgs = append([]string{"--env-file=" + c.EnvFile}, container.RunArgs...)
+	}
+
 	//add metadata labels to container https://github.com/compose-spec/compose-spec/blob/master/spec.md#labels
 	container.RunArgs = append([]string{
 		"--cidfile=" + cidFilename,