diff --git a/docker/compose/docker-compose.mariadb-tika.yml b/docker/compose/docker-compose.mariadb-tika.yml
index 42ad74051..cf2d3ef6a 100644
--- a/docker/compose/docker-compose.mariadb-tika.yml
+++ b/docker/compose/docker-compose.mariadb-tika.yml
@@ -77,8 +77,8 @@ services:
       PAPERLESS_REDIS: redis://broker:6379
       PAPERLESS_DBENGINE: mariadb
       PAPERLESS_DBHOST: db
-      PAPERLESS_DBUSER: paperless
-      PAPERLESS_DBPASSWORD: paperless
+      PAPERLESS_DBUSER: paperless # only needed if non-default username
+      PAPERLESS_DBPASS: paperless # only needed if non-default password
       PAPERLESS_DBPORT: 3306
       PAPERLESS_TIKA_ENABLED: 1
       PAPERLESS_TIKA_GOTENBERG_ENDPOINT: http://gotenberg:3000
diff --git a/docker/compose/docker-compose.mariadb.yml b/docker/compose/docker-compose.mariadb.yml
index 8cb452464..a18e0fb3e 100644
--- a/docker/compose/docker-compose.mariadb.yml
+++ b/docker/compose/docker-compose.mariadb.yml
@@ -71,8 +71,8 @@ services:
       PAPERLESS_REDIS: redis://broker:6379
       PAPERLESS_DBENGINE: mariadb
       PAPERLESS_DBHOST: db
-      PAPERLESS_DBUSER: paperless
-      PAPERLESS_DBPASSWORD: paperless
+      PAPERLESS_DBUSER: paperless # only needed if non-default username
+      PAPERLESS_DBPASS: paperless # only needed if non-default password
       PAPERLESS_DBPORT: 3306