diff --git a/annotation_tool/README.md b/annotation_tool/README.md
index 574604dc22a..29fbbc3d5b8 100644
--- a/annotation_tool/README.md
+++ b/annotation_tool/README.md
@@ -19,14 +19,17 @@ The credentials should match in database image and application configuration.
     DEFAULT_ADMIN_EMAIL: "example@example.com"
     DEFAULT_ADMIN_PASSWORD: "DEMO-PASSWORD"
 
-    PROD_DB_NAME: "databasename"
-    PROD_DB_USERNAME: "somesafeuser"
-    PROD_DB_PASSWORD: "somesafepassword"
-
+    DB_HOSTNAME: "db"
+    DB_NAME: "databasename"
+    DB_USERNAME: "somesafeuser"
+    DB_PASSWORD: "somesafepassword"
 
     POSTGRES_USER: "somesafeuser"
     POSTGRES_PASSWORD: "somesafepassword"
     POSTGRES_DB: "databasename"
+    
+    COOKIE_KEYS: "somesafecookiekeys"
+    JWT_SECRET: "somesafesecret"
 
 
 2. Run docker-compose by executing `docker-compose up`.
diff --git a/annotation_tool/docker-compose.yml b/annotation_tool/docker-compose.yml
index 8cd3d2fcdbe..044004ed198 100644
--- a/annotation_tool/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/annotation_tool/docker-compose.yml
@@ -3,13 +3,16 @@ services:
   backend:
     image: deepset/haystack-annotation:latest
     environment:
-      DEFAULT_ADMIN_EMAIL: "example@example.com"
-      DEFAULT_ADMIN_PASSWORD: "DEMO_PASSWORD"
       NODE_ENV: "production"
-      PROD_DB_HOSTNAME: "db"
-      PROD_DB_NAME: "databasename"
-      PROD_DB_USERNAME: "somesafeuser"
-      PROD_DB_PASSWORD: "somesafepassword"
+      DB_HOSTNAME: "db"
+      DB_NAME: "databasename"
+      DB_USERNAME: "somesafeuser"
+      DB_PASSWORD: "somesafepassword"
+      # IMPORTANT: please configure credentials with secure strings.
+      # DEFAULT_ADMIN_EMAIL: "example@example.com"
+      # DEFAULT_ADMIN_PASSWORD: "DEMO_PASSWORD"
+      # COOKIE_KEYS: "somesafecookiekeys"
+      # JWT_SECRET: "somesafesecret"
     ports:
       - "7001:7001"
     links: