diff --git a/packages/pytest-simcore/src/pytest_simcore/docker_compose.py b/packages/pytest-simcore/src/pytest_simcore/docker_compose.py
index 974fd9d9832..db34d158938 100644
--- a/packages/pytest-simcore/src/pytest_simcore/docker_compose.py
+++ b/packages/pytest-simcore/src/pytest_simcore/docker_compose.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 
 import pytest
 import yaml
-from dotenv import dotenv_values, set_key
+from dotenv import dotenv_values
 from pytest import ExitCode
 
 from .helpers import (
@@ -191,11 +191,6 @@ def inject_filestash_config_path_env(
     filestash_config_json_path = Path(process.stdout.decode("utf-8").strip())
     assert filestash_config_json_path.exists()
 
-    set_key(
-        env_file_for_testing,
-        "TMP_PATH_TO_FILESTASH_CONFIG",
-        f"{filestash_config_json_path}",
-    )
     return {"TMP_PATH_TO_FILESTASH_CONFIG": f"{filestash_config_json_path}"}
 
 
diff --git a/packages/pytest-simcore/src/pytest_simcore/helpers/utils_docker.py b/packages/pytest-simcore/src/pytest_simcore/helpers/utils_docker.py
index 60afb8c088c..3d5502e6bfb 100644
--- a/packages/pytest-simcore/src/pytest_simcore/helpers/utils_docker.py
+++ b/packages/pytest-simcore/src/pytest_simcore/helpers/utils_docker.py
@@ -178,13 +178,17 @@ def run_docker_compose_config(
     cmd = [f"{docker_compose_path}"] + global_options
     print(" ".join(cmd))
 
+    process_environment_variables = dict(os.environ)
+    if additional_envs:
+        process_environment_variables |= additional_envs
+
     process = subprocess.run(
         cmd,
         shell=False,
         check=True,
         cwd=project_dir,
-        stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
-        env=additional_envs,
+        capture_output=True,
+        env=process_environment_variables,
     )
 
     compose_file_str = process.stdout.decode("utf-8")