diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-docker-compose/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/docker/compose/lifecycle/DockerComposeLifecycleManager.java b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-docker-compose/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/docker/compose/lifecycle/DockerComposeLifecycleManager.java
index 4fbf7b1b63d..b73a9d40d48 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-docker-compose/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/docker/compose/lifecycle/DockerComposeLifecycleManager.java
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-docker-compose/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/docker/compose/lifecycle/DockerComposeLifecycleManager.java
@@ -121,7 +121,9 @@ class DockerComposeLifecycleManager {
 		if (lifecycleManagement.shouldStart() && runningServices.isEmpty()) {
 			start.getCommand().applyTo(dockerCompose, start.getLogLevel());
 			runningServices = dockerCompose.getRunningServices();
-			wait = (wait != Wait.ONLY_IF_STARTED) ? wait : Wait.ALWAYS;
+			if (wait == Wait.ONLY_IF_STARTED) {
+				wait = Wait.ALWAYS;
+			}
 			if (lifecycleManagement.shouldStop()) {
 				this.shutdownHandlers.add(() -> stop.getCommand().applyTo(dockerCompose, stop.getTimeout()));
 			}
diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-docs/src/docs/asciidoc/features/docker-compose.adoc b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-docs/src/docs/asciidoc/features/docker-compose.adoc
index 10df7be6c44..3cda5797538 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-docs/src/docs/asciidoc/features/docker-compose.adoc
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-docs/src/docs/asciidoc/features/docker-compose.adoc
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ Add the module dependency to your build, as shown in the following listings for
 	}
 ----
 
+NOTE: The `docker compose` or `docker-compose` CLI application needs to be on your path in order for Spring Boot’s support to work correctly.
+
 When this module is included as a dependency Spring Boot will do the following:
 
 * Search for a `compose.yml` and other common compose filenames in your application directory
@@ -35,7 +37,8 @@ When this module is included as a dependency Spring Boot will do the following:
 * Create service connection beans for each supported container
 * Call `docker compose stop` when the application is shutdown
 
-NOTE: The `docker compose` or `docker-compose` CLI application needs to be on your path in order for Spring Boot’s support to work correctly.
+If the Docker Compose services are already running when starting the application, Spring Boot will only create the service connection beans for each supported container.
+It will not call `docker compose up` again and it will not call `docker compose stop` when the application is shutdown.
 
 NOTE: By default, Spring Boot's Docker Compose support is disabled when running tests.
 To enable it, set configprop:spring.docker.compose.skip.in-tests[] to `false`.