diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 49f6417..aacc1a4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -57,3 +57,16 @@ To monitor your private swarm instead of the public one, please replace `PUBLIC_
 ```python
 INITIAL_PEERS = ['/ip4/10.1.2.3/tcp/31234/p2p/QmcXhze98AcgGQDDYna23s4Jho96n8wkwLJv78vxtFNq44']
 ```
+
+Or you can set the `INITIAL_PEERS` environment variable in the `docker-compose` as a comma separated list instead of editing the config file directly:
+
+```yaml
+version: '3.7'
+services:
+  app:
+    image: petals/health-monitor
+    ports:
+      - 5000:5000
+    environment:
+      - INITIAL_PEERS=/ip4/209.38.217.30/tcp/31337/p2p/QmecL18cmRaDdAcRmA7Ctj1gyAeUYG433WppA1UWTHTew6,/ip4/127.0.0.1/tcp/31337/p2p/QmecL18cmRaDdAcRmA7Ctj1gyAeUYG433WppA1UWTHTew6
+```
diff --git a/config.py b/config.py
index 3812066..87ec39c 100644
--- a/config.py
+++ b/config.py
@@ -1,9 +1,14 @@
+import os
 from petals.constants import PUBLIC_INITIAL_PEERS
 
 from data_structures import ModelInfo
 
-
-INITIAL_PEERS = PUBLIC_INITIAL_PEERS
+initial_peers_str = os.getenv("INITIAL_PEERS")
+initial_peers_list = initial_peers_str.split(",") if initial_peers_str else []
+if len(initial_peers_list) > 0:
+    INITIAL_PEERS = initial_peers_list
+else:
+    INITIAL_PEERS = PUBLIC_INITIAL_PEERS
 
 MODELS = [
     ModelInfo(
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 198bd44..8ffb7a8 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -6,4 +6,4 @@ services:
     volumes:
       - .:/usr/src/app
     ports:
-      - "5000:5000"
+      - "5000:5000"
\ No newline at end of file