diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 896dcf2c6c..0a1bc58f71 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 PYTHON ?= python3.9
+DOCKER_COMPOSE ?= docker-compose
 OFFICIAL ?= no
 NODE ?= node
 NPM_BIN ?= npm
@@ -509,20 +510,20 @@ docker-compose-sources: .git/hooks/pre-commit
 
 
 docker-compose: awx/projects docker-compose-sources
-	docker-compose -f tools/docker-compose/_sources/docker-compose.yml $(COMPOSE_OPTS) up $(COMPOSE_UP_OPTS) --remove-orphans
+	$(DOCKER_COMPOSE) -f tools/docker-compose/_sources/docker-compose.yml $(COMPOSE_OPTS) up $(COMPOSE_UP_OPTS) --remove-orphans
 
 docker-compose-credential-plugins: awx/projects docker-compose-sources
 	echo -e "\033[0;31mTo generate a CyberArk Conjur API key: docker exec -it tools_conjur_1 conjurctl account create quick-start\033[0m"
-	docker-compose -f tools/docker-compose/_sources/docker-compose.yml -f tools/docker-credential-plugins-override.yml up --no-recreate awx_1 --remove-orphans
+	$(DOCKER_COMPOSE) -f tools/docker-compose/_sources/docker-compose.yml -f tools/docker-credential-plugins-override.yml up --no-recreate awx_1 --remove-orphans
 
 docker-compose-test: awx/projects docker-compose-sources
-	docker-compose -f tools/docker-compose/_sources/docker-compose.yml run --rm --service-ports awx_1 /bin/bash
+	$(DOCKER_COMPOSE) -f tools/docker-compose/_sources/docker-compose.yml run --rm --service-ports awx_1 /bin/bash
 
 docker-compose-runtest: awx/projects docker-compose-sources
-	docker-compose -f tools/docker-compose/_sources/docker-compose.yml run --rm --service-ports awx_1 /start_tests.sh
+	$(DOCKER_COMPOSE) -f tools/docker-compose/_sources/docker-compose.yml run --rm --service-ports awx_1 /start_tests.sh
 
 docker-compose-build-swagger: awx/projects docker-compose-sources
-	docker-compose -f tools/docker-compose/_sources/docker-compose.yml run --rm --service-ports --no-deps awx_1 /start_tests.sh swagger
+	$(DOCKER_COMPOSE) -f tools/docker-compose/_sources/docker-compose.yml run --rm --service-ports --no-deps awx_1 /start_tests.sh swagger
 
 SCHEMA_DIFF_BASE_BRANCH ?= devel
 detect-schema-change: genschema
@@ -531,7 +532,7 @@ detect-schema-change: genschema
 	diff -u -b reference-schema.json schema.json
 
 docker-compose-clean: awx/projects
-	docker-compose -f tools/docker-compose/_sources/docker-compose.yml rm -sf
+	$(DOCKER_COMPOSE) -f tools/docker-compose/_sources/docker-compose.yml rm -sf
 
 docker-compose-container-group-clean:
 	@if [ -f "tools/docker-compose-minikube/_sources/minikube" ]; then \
@@ -559,10 +560,10 @@ docker-refresh: docker-clean docker-compose
 
 ## Docker Development Environment with Elastic Stack Connected
 docker-compose-elk: awx/projects docker-compose-sources
-	docker-compose -f tools/docker-compose/_sources/docker-compose.yml -f tools/elastic/docker-compose.logstash-link.yml -f tools/elastic/docker-compose.elastic-override.yml up --no-recreate
+	$(DOCKER_COMPOSE) -f tools/docker-compose/_sources/docker-compose.yml -f tools/elastic/docker-compose.logstash-link.yml -f tools/elastic/docker-compose.elastic-override.yml up --no-recreate
 
 docker-compose-cluster-elk: awx/projects docker-compose-sources
-	docker-compose -f tools/docker-compose/_sources/docker-compose.yml -f tools/elastic/docker-compose.logstash-link-cluster.yml -f tools/elastic/docker-compose.elastic-override.yml up --no-recreate
+	$(DOCKER_COMPOSE) -f tools/docker-compose/_sources/docker-compose.yml -f tools/elastic/docker-compose.logstash-link-cluster.yml -f tools/elastic/docker-compose.elastic-override.yml up --no-recreate
 
 docker-compose-container-group:
 	MINIKUBE_CONTAINER_GROUP=true make docker-compose
diff --git a/tools/docker-compose/README.md b/tools/docker-compose/README.md
index dd66c41450..e2018b9adc 100644
--- a/tools/docker-compose/README.md
+++ b/tools/docker-compose/README.md
@@ -33,8 +33,6 @@ Notable files:
 ### Prerequisites
 
 - [Docker](https://docs.docker.com/engine/installation/) on the host where AWX will be deployed. After installing Docker, the Docker service must be started (depending on your OS, you may have to add the local user that uses Docker to the `docker` group, refer to the documentation for details)
-- [docker-compose](https://pypi.org/project/docker-compose/) Python module.
-  - This also installs the `docker` Python module, which is incompatible with [`docker-py`](https://pypi.org/project/docker-py/). If you have previously installed `docker-py`, please uninstall it.
 - [Docker Compose](https://docs.docker.com/compose/install/).
 - [Ansible](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/installation_guide/intro_installation.html) will need to be installed as we use it to template files needed for the docker-compose.
 - OpenSSL.