diff --git a/.env.dist b/.env.dist
index 8318c4a9b2..3f93de22fa 100644
--- a/.env.dist
+++ b/.env.dist
@@ -141,6 +141,22 @@ DTT_MINK_DRIVER_ARGS="['chrome', null, 'http://selenium:4444/wd/hub']"
 # production databases.
 DOCKER_RESTORE_PRODUCTION=no
 
+# Copy this variable in .env file and set the value to "True" in order to start
+# the Docker web service with XDebug disabled. Note that you can anytime enable
+# XDebug manually by issuing:
+# $ docker-compose exec web phpenmod xdebug
+# or disable it with:
+# $ docker-compose exec web phpdismod xdebug
+DISABLE_XDEBUG="False"
+
+# Copy this variable in .env file and set the value to "True" in order to start
+# the Docker web service with Blackfire disabled. Note that you can anytime
+# enable Blackfire manually by issuing:
+# $ docker-compose exec web phpenmod blackfire
+# or disable it with:
+# $ docker-compose exec web phpdismod blackfire
+DISABLE_BLACKFIRE="False"
+
 # Debugging
 # TODO: The following vars were not tested. They were inherited from a previous
 # Docker setup. To investigate if we still need them.
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index e81fdf90a0..a60131a573 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ services:
       ASDA_URL:
       ASDA_USER:
       ASDA_PASSWORD:
+      DISABLE_XDEBUG:
+      DISABLE_BLACKFIRE:
     depends_on:
       - mysql
       - virtuoso