diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/deploy-service-db-migrations.yaml b/.gitea/workflows/deploy-service-db-migrations.yaml
index 6617082..8a2ddb5 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/deploy-service-db-migrations.yaml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/deploy-service-db-migrations.yaml
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ jobs:
         run: DB_MIGRATIONS_TAG=commit-${{env.GITHUB_SHA}} docker compose -p hereconnect build db-migrations
 
       - name: start container
-        run: DB_MIGRATIONS_TAG=commit-${{env.GITHUB_SHA}} docker compose -p hereconnect up --pull --no-recreate never db-migrations
+        run: DB_MIGRATIONS_TAG=commit-${{env.GITHUB_SHA}} docker compose -p hereconnect up --pull never --no-recreate db-migrations
 
       - name: rename to latest
         run: docker tag hereconnect/service-db-migrations:commit-${{env.GITHUB_SHA}} hereconnect/service-db-migrations:latest
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index bf0a21b..7a2dd4e 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ services:
       dockerfile: ../../services/message-delivery-method-web-push/Dockerfile
     environment:
       - API_URL=http://${COUCHDB_USER}:${COUCHDB_PASSWORD}@couchdb:5984
-      - VAPID_SUBJECT=${VAPID_SUBJECT}
-      - GCM_API_KEY=${GCM_API_KEY}
+      - VAPID_SUBJECT=${VAPID_SUBJECT:-}
+      - GCM_API_KEY=${GCM_API_KEY:-}
     depends_on:
       couchdb:
         condition: service_healthy