diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7983646..5cc167b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ dokku plugin:install https://github.com/dokku/dokku-mysql.git mysql
 ```
 mysql:clone <name> <new-name>  Create container <new-name> then copy data from <name> into <new-name>
 mysql:connect <name>           Connect via mysql to a mysql service
-mysql:create <name>            Create a mysql service
+mysql:create <name>            Create a mysql service with environment variables
 mysql:destroy <name>           Delete the service and stop its container if there are no links left
 mysql:export <name> > <file>   Export a dump of the mysql service database
 mysql:expose <name> [port]     Expose a mysql service on custom port if provided (random port otherwise)
@@ -52,6 +52,13 @@ dokku mysql:create lolipop
 # official mysql image
 export MYSQL_IMAGE="mysql"
 export MYSQL_IMAGE_VERSION="5.5"
+
+# you can also specify custom environment
+# variables to start the mysql service
+# in semi-colon separated forma
+export MYSQL_CUSTOM_ENV="USER=alpha;HOST=beta"
+
+# create a mysql service
 dokku mysql:create lolipop
 
 # get connection information as follows
diff --git a/commands b/commands
index b0ca34b..629337a 100755
--- a/commands
+++ b/commands
@@ -34,8 +34,13 @@ case "$1" in
     touch "$LINKS_FILE"
 
     dokku_log_info1 "Starting container"
+    if [[ -n $MYSQL_CUSTOM_ENV ]]; then
+      echo "$MYSQL_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 "$SERVICE_ROOT/data:/var/lib/mysql" -e "MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=$rootpassword" -e MYSQL_USER=mysql -e "MYSQL_PASSWORD=$password" -e "MYSQL_DATABASE=$SERVICE" -d --restart always --label dokku=service --label dokku.service=mysql "$PLUGIN_IMAGE:$PLUGIN_IMAGE_VERSION")
+    ID=$(docker run --name "$SERVICE_NAME" -v "$SERVICE_ROOT/data:/var/lib/mysql" -e "MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=$rootpassword" -e MYSQL_USER=mysql -e "MYSQL_PASSWORD=$password" -e "MYSQL_DATABASE=$SERVICE" --env-file="$SERVICE_ROOT/ENV" -d --restart always --label dokku=service --label dokku.service=mysql "$PLUGIN_IMAGE:$PLUGIN_IMAGE_VERSION")
     echo "$ID" > "$SERVICE_ROOT/ID"
 
     dokku_log_verbose_quiet "Waiting for container to be ready"