diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 11ba6f3..1c0c1a5 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 COMPOSE_CMD ?= docker compose
 # use unix:///run/docker.sock for docker socket, unix://${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR}/podman/podman.sock for podman
 DOCKER_HOST ?= unix:///run/docker.sock
-COMPOSE = DOCKER_HOST=$(DOCKER_HOST) $(COMPOSE_CMD)
+COMPOSE := DOCKER_HOST=$(DOCKER_HOST) $(COMPOSE_CMD)
 
 psql:
 	$(COMPOSE) exec inventree-db sh -c 'psql $$POSTGRES_USER $$POSTGRES_DB'