diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index db3d4abf1b3..f05b5df1bcd 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ services:
 
   demo:
     environment:
-      - LOCAL_USER_ID=${LOCAL_USER_ID:-''}
+      - LOCAL_USER_ID=${LOCAL_USER_ID:-}
     build:
       context: ./docker/demo-postgres
     image: translate/pootle:demo
diff --git a/docker/bin/run b/docker/bin/run
index a020996fb78..eb09e4db2fc 100755
--- a/docker/bin/run
+++ b/docker/bin/run
@@ -5,7 +5,11 @@ set -e
 CMD="${@:2}";
 IMAGE=$1
 RUNNER=/home/pootle/pootle_env/src/pootle/docker/bin/run_in_container
-export LOCAL_USER_ID=${LOCAL_USER_ID:-$UID}
+
+if [ $IMAGE != 'demo' ]; then
+    export LOCAL_USER_ID=${LOCAL_USER_ID:-$UID}
+    echo "Setting container user to $LOCAL_USER_ID"
+fi
 
 function pull_images () {
     docker-compose pull --include-deps --parallel $IMAGE