diff --git a/.env.sample b/.env.sample
index 5e799dc..dc7aa14 100644
--- a/.env.sample
+++ b/.env.sample
@@ -17,6 +17,3 @@ HUGO_GIT_URL=git@codeberg.org:eotl/example-repo.git
 #COMPOSE_FILE="$COMPOSE_FILE:compose.private.yml"
 #PRIVATE_ENABLED=1
 #SECRET_DEPLOY_KEY_VERSION=v1
-
-# Include compose files by appending "compose.yml:compose.private.yml" 
-COMPOSE_FILE="compose.yml"
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 455e17d..4d7b8ed 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -40,17 +40,12 @@ To enable a password protected site built from a public git repo, uncomment the
 following lines in your `.env` file:
 
 ```
+COMPOSE_FILE="$COMPOSE_FILE:compose.auth.yml"
 AUTH_ENABLED=1
 AUTH_USERNAME=foobar
 SECRET_AUTH_PASSWORD_VERSION=v1
 ```
 
-And append `:compose.auth.yml` to the `COMPOSE_FILE=` variable such as:
-
-```
-COMPOSE_FILE="compose.yml:compose.auth.yml"
-```
-
 Then run `abra app secret generate -a <domain>` command.
 
 When you deploy:
@@ -64,18 +59,11 @@ When you deploy:
 If you enable the following lines in your `.env` file:
 
 ```
-COMPOSE_FILE="compose.yml:compose.private.yml"
+COMPOSE_FILE="$COMPOSE_FILE:compose.private.yml"
 PRIVATE_ENABLED=1
 SECRET_DEPLOY_KEY_VERSION=v1
 ```
 
-To enable a public site built from a private git repo pulled with a SSH deploy
-key, include the following `.yml` files:
-
-```
-COMPOSE_FILE="compose.yml:compose.private.yml" 
-```
-
 Then you need to generate a SSH key:
 
 ```