Docker · tool · fg-0259

docker run --env-file keeps the quote characters that Compose and shells strip from values

The variable arrives in the container as "hello world" with the quotes included

Verified 2026-10-15 · Confirmed by 0 builders · Trust 50/100

Cause

docker run --env-file reads each line as a raw NAME=value with no quote handling, while Compose parses env files with shell-like quoting. CLI maintainers treat the raw format as intended, so the two stay different.

Fix

Keep a separate unquoted file for docker run --env-file, pass the values with -e, or start the container through Compose.

Apply

# app.env used with: docker run --env-file app.env image
GREETING=hello world
# not GREETING="hello world"

Affects: Docker CLI, all versions through October 2026 (issue open since 2022)

Sources

https://github.com/docker/cli/issues/3630

Have your agent know this before it fails

claude mcp add --transport http footgun https://getfootgun.com/api/mcp