diff --git a/docs/standalone.rst b/docs/standalone.rst
index 4d3a3318..07fdb74b 100644
--- a/docs/standalone.rst
+++ b/docs/standalone.rst
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ You can find standalone docker images at `djangohelpdesk/standalone:latest <http
 
 You will also find an alternative `standalone-extras <https://hub.docker.com/r/djangohelpdesk/standalone-extras>`_ image with extra libraries needed to use the standalone image on cloud platforms such as AWS. You can find a full list of extra packages included in the extra's image `here <https://github.com/django-helpdesk/django-helpdesk/blob/main/standalone/requirements-extras.txt>`_.
 
-Installation using docker-compose
+Installation using docker compose
 ------------
 
 1. Clone the django-helpdesk repository:
@@ -21,16 +21,22 @@ Installation using docker-compose
     cd django-helpdesk/standalone
 
 3. Execute the installation script:
-   
-   .. code-block:: bash
-   
-    ./setup.sh
 
+   .. code-block:: bash
+
+      ./setup.sh
+
+   Set the POSTGRES major version if you are deploying to an existing POSTGRES instance other than the default shown within the docker-compose file. For example:
+
+   .. code-block:: bash
+
+      export POSTGRES_MAJOR_VERSION=15
+   
 4. Start the services:
 
    .. code-block:: bash
    
-    docker-compose up
+    docker compose up
 
 
 Creating an Admin User
diff --git a/standalone/Dockerfile b/standalone/Dockerfile
index d67bb73d..518fb30f 100644
--- a/standalone/Dockerfile
+++ b/standalone/Dockerfile
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#see github workflows for docker build command
 FROM python:3.11-slim-bullseye
 LABEL src=https://github.com/django-helpdesk/django-helpdesk
 RUN apt-get update
@@ -6,7 +7,10 @@ RUN apt-get install -yqq \
    postgresql-client \
    cron \
    git
-COPY . /opt/
+ 
+COPY django-helpdesk /opt/django-helpdesk
+RUN pip3 install --upgrade pip
+RUN pip3 install packaging
 RUN pip3 install -r /opt/django-helpdesk/requirements.txt
 RUN pip3 install -r /opt/django-helpdesk/standalone/requirements.txt
 WORKDIR /opt/django-helpdesk
@@ -15,4 +19,4 @@ RUN DJANGO_HELPDESK_SECRET_KEY=foo python3 standalone/manage.py collectstatic
 
 RUN echo "* * * * * root . /etc/env && /usr/local/bin/python3 /opt/django-helpdesk/standalone/manage.py get_email >> /var/log/cron.log 2>&1" > /etc/crontab
 RUN chmod 0644 /etc/crontab
-ENTRYPOINT sh /opt/django-helpdesk/standalone/entrypoint.sh
\ No newline at end of file
+ENTRYPOINT sh /opt/django-helpdesk/standalone/entrypoint.sh
diff --git a/standalone/docker-compose.yml b/standalone/docker-compose.yml
index d797cc7c..4bf2075b 100644
--- a/standalone/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/standalone/docker-compose.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-version: '2'
-
 # Define named volumes
 volumes:
   caddy_data:
@@ -30,7 +28,7 @@ services:
       - postgres
 
   postgres:
-    image: postgres:12-bullseye
+    image: postgres:${POSTGRES_MAJOR_VERSION:-17}-bullseye
     volumes:
       - postgres_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data
     env_file: docker.env