diff --git a/vreapis/docker-compose.yaml b/vreapis/docker-compose.yaml
index 510c9c2..7e7ed8b 100644
--- a/vreapis/docker-compose.yaml
+++ b/vreapis/docker-compose.yaml
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@ services:
       - DJANGO_SUPERUSER_PASSWORD=admin
       - DJANGO_TOKEN=token
       - SECRET_KEY=secret
-      - CELL_GITHUB=S{CELL_GITHUB}
+      # for GitHub action to read envvar
+      - CELL_GITHUB=${CELL_GITHUB}
       - CELL_GITHUB_TOKEN=${CELL_GITHUB_TOKEN}
     ports:
       - '127.0.0.1:8000:8000'