diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 865b57fe4..afd00c676 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -33,6 +33,11 @@ Redis has been configured as the default caching provider. When running docker-c
 If starting the opal-fines-service from Intellij or the command line you have the following options:
 Follow instructions under 'Running the application locally'
 
+In local env by default opal-fines-service uses simple cache instead of Redis cache. This can be enabled by setting this env variable:
+```bash
+OPAL_REDIS_ENABLED=true
+```
+
 Alternatively the opal-fines-service can be run using a simple in-memory cache by starting the application with the profile in-memory-caching.
 
 To view the cache - when running against local Redis - Intellij has a free plugin called Redis Helper.
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 918799daa..85af44b86 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ services:
       - OPAL_FINES_DB_HOST=opal-fines-db
       - OPAL_LEGACY_GATEWAY_URL=http://host.docker.internal:4553/opal
       - TESTING_SUPPORT_ENDPOINTS_ENABLED=true
-      - OPAL_REDIS_ENABLED=true
+      - OPAL_REDIS_ENABLED=false
 
     ports:
       - "4550:4550"