diff --git a/docs/source/docker/docker-compose.rst b/docs/source/docker/docker-compose.rst
index d96476c392..1bc3a25a6f 100644
--- a/docs/source/docker/docker-compose.rst
+++ b/docs/source/docker/docker-compose.rst
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ This section of the documentation details how to use Augur's Docker Compose conf
 
 .. warning::
 
-    Don't forget to provide your external database credentials in a file called ``.env`` file. Make sure the following environment variables are specified.
+    Don't forget to provide your external database credentials in a file called ``.env`` file. Make sure all the following environment variables are specified, keep placeholder values if you don't need some of them.
     Don't specify AUGUR_DB if you want the docker database to be used.
 
     Example .env:
diff --git a/docs/source/docker/getting-started.rst b/docs/source/docker/getting-started.rst
index e747bbb304..c413d9ed45 100644
--- a/docs/source/docker/getting-started.rst
+++ b/docs/source/docker/getting-started.rst
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ the following resources (or more):
 - 10 GB RAM
 
 Clone the Augur repository and create a .env file in the top level directory
-with the following fields:
+with the following fields (don't remove any variable, keep placeholder values if you don't need some of them):
 
 .. code:: python
 
diff --git a/docs/source/docker/quick-start.rst b/docs/source/docker/quick-start.rst
index b7d7b7cc7e..c7530f6ae9 100644
--- a/docs/source/docker/quick-start.rst
+++ b/docs/source/docker/quick-start.rst
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ Before you get off to such a quick start, go ahead and
 
      git checkout main
 
-  4. Create a .env file in the top level directory with the following fields:
+  4. Create a .env file in the top level directory with the following fields (don't remove any variable, keep placeholder values if you don't need some of them):
 
 .. code:: python
 
diff --git a/docs/source/getting-started/using-docker.rst b/docs/source/getting-started/using-docker.rst
index cc5e23896c..c1c693eda2 100644
--- a/docs/source/getting-started/using-docker.rst
+++ b/docs/source/getting-started/using-docker.rst
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ the following resources (or more).
 1. Clone the Augur repository https://github.com/chaoss/augur
 
 
-2. Create a .env file in the top level directory with the following fields:
+2. Create a ``.env`` file in the top level directory with the following fields (don't remove any variable, keep placeholder values if you don't need some of them):
 
 .. code:: python
 
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ or
 
     podman compose up --build
 
-And augur should be up and running! Over time, you may decide that you want to download and run newer releases of Augur. It is critical that your `.env` file remains configured to use the same database name and password; though you can change the password if you understand how to connect to a database running inside a Docker container on your computer.
+And augur should be up and running! Over time, you may decide that you want to download and run newer releases of Augur. It is critical that your ``.env`` file remains configured to use the same database name and password; though you can change the password if you understand how to connect to a database running inside a Docker container on your computer.
 
 Rebuilding Augur in Docker
 ----------------------------