diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4607402..61870f4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ dokku plugin:install https://github.com/dokku/dokku-mongo.git mongo
 ```
 mongo:clone <name> <new-name>  Create container <new-name> then copy data from <name> into <new-name>
 mongo:connect <name>           Connect via telnet to a mongo service
-mongo:create <name>            Create a mongo service
+mongo:create <name>            Create a mongo service with environment variables
 mongo:destroy <name>           Delete the service and stop its container if there are no links left
 mongo:export <name> > <file>   Export a dump of the mongo service database
 mongo:expose <name> [port]     Expose a mongo service on custom port if provided (random port otherwise)
@@ -52,6 +52,13 @@ dokku mongo:create lolipop
 # official mongo image
 export MONGO_IMAGE="mongo"
 export MONGO_IMAGE_VERSION="3.0.5"
+
+# you can also specify custom environment
+# variables to start the mongo service
+# in semi-colon separated forma
+export MONGO_CUSTOM_ENV="USER=alpha;HOST=beta"
+
+# create a mongo service
 dokku mongo:create lolipop
 
 # by default we use the wiredTiger storage solution
diff --git a/commands b/commands
index c7f10ad..b8aaf65 100755
--- a/commands
+++ b/commands
@@ -34,8 +34,13 @@ case "$1" in
     touch "$LINKS_FILE"
 
     dokku_log_info1 "Starting container"
+    if [[ -n $MONGO_CUSTOM_ENV ]]; then
+      echo "$MONGO_CUSTOM_ENV" | tr ';' "\n" > "$SERVICE_ROOT/ENV"
+    else
+      echo "" > "$SERVICE_ROOT/ENV"
+    fi
     SERVICE_NAME=$(get_service_name "$SERVICE")
-    ID=$(docker run --name "$SERVICE_NAME" -v "$SERVICE_ROOT/data:/data/db" -d --restart always --label dokku=service --label dokku.service=mongo "$PLUGIN_IMAGE:$PLUGIN_IMAGE_VERSION" mongod $MONGO_CONFIG_OPTIONS)
+    ID=$(docker run --name "$SERVICE_NAME" -v "$SERVICE_ROOT/data:/data/db" --env-file="$SERVICE_ROOT/ENV" -d --restart always --label dokku=service --label dokku.service=mongo "$PLUGIN_IMAGE:$PLUGIN_IMAGE_VERSION" mongod $MONGO_CONFIG_OPTIONS)
     echo "$ID" > "$SERVICE_ROOT/ID"
 
     dokku_log_verbose_quiet "Waiting for container to be ready"