diff --git a/compose/compose-file/compose-file-v2.md b/compose/compose-file/compose-file-v2.md
index 4fa45cbf57..7ea7e0179d 100644
--- a/compose/compose-file/compose-file-v2.md
+++ b/compose/compose-file/compose-file-v2.md
@@ -352,8 +352,9 @@ Add environment variables from a file. Can be a single value or a list.
 If you have specified a Compose file with `docker-compose -f FILE`, paths in
 `env_file` are relative to the directory that file is in.
 
-Environment variables specified in [environment](#environment) _override_
-these values.
+Environment variables declared in the [environment](#environment) section
+_override_ these values – this holds true even if those values are
+empty or undefined.
 
     env_file: .env
 
diff --git a/compose/compose-file/index.md b/compose/compose-file/index.md
index e2a5750cef..4648bb48c4 100644
--- a/compose/compose-file/index.md
+++ b/compose/compose-file/index.md
@@ -873,8 +873,9 @@ Add environment variables from a file. Can be a single value or a list.
 If you have specified a Compose file with `docker-compose -f FILE`, paths in
 `env_file` are relative to the directory that file is in.
 
-Environment variables specified in [environment](#environment) _override_
-these values.
+Environment variables declared in the [environment](#environment) section
+_override_ these values – this holds true even if those values are
+empty or undefined.
 
     env_file: .env