diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index fa540db..ed73cc2 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ services:
     environment:
       DOMAIN: ${DOMAIN}
       SHARED_SECRET: ${SHARED_SECRET}
+      WELCOME_MESSAGE: ${WELCOME_MESSAGE}
       WELCOME_FOOTER: ${WELCOME_FOOTER}
       STUN_SERVER: stun:${STUN_IP}:${STUN_PORT}
       TURN_SERVER: ${TURN_SERVER:-}
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@ services:
       EXTERNAL_IP: ${EXTERNAL_IP}
       SIP_IP_ALLOWLIST: ${SIP_IP_ALLOWLIST}
       NETWORK_INTERFACE: ${NETWORK_INTERFACE:-}
+      REMOVE_ENGLISH_FREESWITCH_AUDIO_ANNOUNCEMENS: ${REMOVE_ENGLISH_FREESWITCH_AUDIO_ANNOUNCEMENS}
     volumes:
       - ./conf/sip_profiles:/etc/freeswitch/sip_profiles/external
       - ./conf/dialplan_public:/etc/freeswitch/dialplan/public_docker
@@ -137,6 +139,12 @@ services:
       DOMAIN: ${DOMAIN}
       CLIENT_TITLE: ${CLIENT_TITLE}
       ETHERPAD_API_KEY: ${ETHERPAD_API_KEY}
+      LISTEN_ONLY_MODE: ${LISTEN_ONLY_MODE}
+      SKIP_CHECK: ${SKIP_CHECK}
+      AUTO_SHARE_WEBCAM: ${AUTO_SHARE_WEBCAM}
+      SKIP_VIDEO_PREVIEW: ${SKIP_VIDEO_PREVIEW}
+      CHAT_ENABLED: ${CHAT_ENABLED}
+      CHAT_START_CLOSED: ${CHAT_START_CLOSED}
     networks:
       bbb-net:
         ipv4_address: 10.7.7.11
diff --git a/mod/core/web/bigbluebutton.properties b/mod/core/web/bigbluebutton.properties
index 03b2575..5791073 100644
--- a/mod/core/web/bigbluebutton.properties
+++ b/mod/core/web/bigbluebutton.properties
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ defaultGuestPolicy=ALWAYS_ACCEPT
 #
 # native2ascii -encoding UTF8 bigbluebutton.properties bigbluebutton.properties
 #
-defaultWelcomeMessage=Welcome to <b>%%CONFNAME%%</b>!<br><br>For help on using BigBlueButton see these (short) <a href="event:http://www.bigbluebutton.org/html5"><u>tutorial videos</u></a>.<br><br>To join the audio bridge click the phone button.  Use a headset to avoid causing background noise for others.
+defaultWelcomeMessage={{ .Env.WELCOME_MESSAGE }}
 defaultWelcomeMessageFooter={{ .Env.WELCOME_FOOTER }}
 
 # Default maximum number of users a meeting can have.
diff --git a/mod/freeswitch/entrypoint.sh b/mod/freeswitch/entrypoint.sh
index 780e2ab..84a59ce 100755
--- a/mod/freeswitch/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/mod/freeswitch/entrypoint.sh
@@ -15,6 +15,11 @@ for IP in "${ADDR[@]}"; do
     iptables -I INPUT  -p udp --dport 5060 -s $IP -j ACCEPT
 done
 
+# remove English audio annoucements
+if [ "$REMOVE_ENGLISH_FREESWITCH_AUDIO_ANNOUNCEMENS" == 'true' ]; then
+  rm -rf /usr/share/freeswitch/sounds/en/us/callie/conference/
+fi
+
 dockerize \
     -template /etc/freeswitch/vars.xml.tmpl:/etc/freeswitch/vars.xml \
     /usr/bin/freeswitch -u freeswitch -g daemon -nonat -nf
diff --git a/mod/html5/settings.yml b/mod/html5/settings.yml
index cd9136f..e0327ac 100644
--- a/mod/html5/settings.yml
+++ b/mod/html5/settings.yml
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ public:
     desktopFontSize: 14px
     audioChatNotification: false
     autoJoin: true
-    listenOnlyMode: true
+    listenOnlyMode: {{ .Env.LISTEN_ONLY_MODE }}
     forceListenOnly: false
-    skipCheck: false
+    skipCheck: {{ .Env.SKIP_CHECK }}
     clientTitle: {{ .Env.CLIENT_TITLE }}
     appName: BigBlueButton HTML5 Client
     bbbServerVersion: 2.2
@@ -137,8 +137,8 @@ public:
     enableVideoStats: false
     enableVideoMenu: true
     enableListenOnly: true
-    autoShareWebcam: false
-    skipVideoPreview: false
+    autoShareWebcam: {{ .Env.AUTO_SHARE_WEBCAM }}
+    skipVideoPreview: {{ .Env.SKIP_VIDEO_PREVIEW }}
   pingPong:
     clearUsersInSeconds: 180
     pongTimeInSeconds: 15
@@ -159,8 +159,8 @@ public:
     lines: 2
     time: 5000
   chat:
-    enabled: true
-    startClosed: false
+    enabled: {{ .Env.CHAT_ENABLED }}
+    startClosed: {{ .Env.CHAT_START_CLOSED }}
     min_message_length: 1
     max_message_length: 5000
     grouping_messages_window: 10000
diff --git a/sample.env b/sample.env
index 7482387..a0ff418 100644
--- a/sample.env
+++ b/sample.env
@@ -63,6 +63,8 @@ SIP_IP_ALLOWLIST=
 
 CLIENT_TITLE=BigBlueButton
 
+# use following lines to replace the default welcome message and footer
+WELCOME_MESSAGE=Welcome to <b>%%CONFNAME%%</b>!<br><br>For help on using BigBlueButton see these (short) <a href="event:http://www.bigbluebutton.org/html5"><u>tutorial videos</u></a>.<br><br>To join the audio bridge click the phone button.  Use a headset to avoid causing background noise for others.
 WELCOME_FOOTER=This server is running <a href="http://docs.bigbluebutton.org/" target="_blank"><u>BigBlueButton</u></a>.
 
 # use following line for an additional SIP dial-in message
@@ -72,6 +74,26 @@ WELCOME_FOOTER=This server is running <a href="http://docs.bigbluebutton.org/" t
 # adjust the following path
 DEFAULT_PRESENTATION=./mod/nginx/default.pdf
 
+# set to false to disable listenOnlyMode
+LISTEN_ONLY_MODE=true
+
+# set to true to disable echo test
+SKIP_CHECK=false
+
+# set to true to automatically share webcam
+AUTO_SHARE_WEBCAM=false
+
+# set to true to disable video preview for webcam sharing
+SKIP_VIDEO_PREVIEW=false
+
+# set to false to disable chat
+CHAT_ENABLED=true
+
+# set to true to start chat closed
+CHAT_START_CLOSED=false
+
+# set to true to remove the English audio announcements from freeswitch, e.g. "You are the only person in this conference"
+REMOVE_ENGLISH_FREESWITCH_AUDIO_ANNOUNCEMENS=false
 
 # ====================================
 # GREENLIGHT CONFIGURATION
diff --git a/scripts/compose b/scripts/compose
index 220c416..7661339 100755
--- a/scripts/compose
+++ b/scripts/compose
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ cd $(dirname $0)/..
 # load .env
 if [ -f .env ]
 then
-  # exclude WELCOME_FOOTER because it may contain invalid characters
-  export $(cat .env | sed 's/#.*//g' | grep -v "WELCOME_FOOTER" | xargs)
+  # exclude WELCOME_MESSAGE && WELCOME_FOOTER because it may contain invalid characters
+  export $(cat .env | sed 's/#.*//g' | grep -v "WELCOME_FOOTER" | grep -v "WELCOME_MESSAGE" | xargs)
 fi
 
 # concatenate docker-compose file