diff --git a/2020.07/apache/entrypoint.sh b/2020.07/apache/entrypoint.sh
index a6054e3..9a4ee70 100755
--- a/2020.07/apache/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/2020.07/apache/entrypoint.sh
@@ -16,6 +16,30 @@ version_greater() {
   [ "$(printf '%s\n' "$@" | sort -r -t '-' -k2,2 | sort -t '.' -n -k1,1 -k2,2 -s | head -n 1)" != "$1" ]
 }
 
+# usage: file_env VAR [DEFAULT]
+#    ie: file_env 'XYZ_DB_PASSWORD' 'example'
+# (will allow for "$XYZ_DB_PASSWORD_FILE" to fill in the value of
+#  "$XYZ_DB_PASSWORD" from a file, especially for Docker's secrets feature)
+file_env() {
+    local var="$1"
+    local fileVar="${var}_FILE"
+    local def="${2:-}"
+    local varValue=$(env | grep -E "^${var}=" | sed -E -e "s/^${var}=//")
+    local fileVarValue=$(env | grep -E "^${fileVar}=" | sed -E -e "s/^${fileVar}=//")
+    if [ -n "${varValue}" ] && [ -n "${fileVarValue}" ]; then
+        echo >&2 "error: both $var and $fileVar are set (but are exclusive)"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    if [ -n "${varValue}" ]; then
+        export "$var"="${varValue}"
+    elif [ -n "${fileVarValue}" ]; then
+        export "$var"="$(cat "${fileVarValue}")"
+    elif [ -n "${def}" ]; then
+        export "$var"="$def"
+    fi
+    unset "$fileVar"
+}
+
 sh /setup_msmtp.sh
 
 # just check if we execute apache or php-fpm
@@ -66,6 +90,12 @@ if expr "$1" : "apache" 1>/dev/null || [ "$1" = "php-fpm" ]; then
     if [ "$installed_version" = "0.0.0.0" ]; then
       echo "New Friendica instance"
 
+      file_env FRIENDICA_ADMIN_MAIL
+
+      file_env MYSQL_DATABASE
+      file_env MYSQL_USER
+      file_env MYSQL_PASSWORD
+
       install=false
       if [ -n "${MYSQL_DATABASE+x}" ] && [ -n "${MYSQL_PASSWORD+x}" ] && [ -n "${MYSQL_HOST+x}" ] && [ -n "${MYSQL_USER+x}" ] && [ -n "${FRIENDICA_ADMIN_MAIL+x}" ] && [ -n "${FRIENDICA_URL+x}" ]; then
         echo "Installation with environment variables"
diff --git a/2020.07/fpm-alpine/entrypoint.sh b/2020.07/fpm-alpine/entrypoint.sh
index a6054e3..9a4ee70 100755
--- a/2020.07/fpm-alpine/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/2020.07/fpm-alpine/entrypoint.sh
@@ -16,6 +16,30 @@ version_greater() {
   [ "$(printf '%s\n' "$@" | sort -r -t '-' -k2,2 | sort -t '.' -n -k1,1 -k2,2 -s | head -n 1)" != "$1" ]
 }
 
+# usage: file_env VAR [DEFAULT]
+#    ie: file_env 'XYZ_DB_PASSWORD' 'example'
+# (will allow for "$XYZ_DB_PASSWORD_FILE" to fill in the value of
+#  "$XYZ_DB_PASSWORD" from a file, especially for Docker's secrets feature)
+file_env() {
+    local var="$1"
+    local fileVar="${var}_FILE"
+    local def="${2:-}"
+    local varValue=$(env | grep -E "^${var}=" | sed -E -e "s/^${var}=//")
+    local fileVarValue=$(env | grep -E "^${fileVar}=" | sed -E -e "s/^${fileVar}=//")
+    if [ -n "${varValue}" ] && [ -n "${fileVarValue}" ]; then
+        echo >&2 "error: both $var and $fileVar are set (but are exclusive)"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    if [ -n "${varValue}" ]; then
+        export "$var"="${varValue}"
+    elif [ -n "${fileVarValue}" ]; then
+        export "$var"="$(cat "${fileVarValue}")"
+    elif [ -n "${def}" ]; then
+        export "$var"="$def"
+    fi
+    unset "$fileVar"
+}
+
 sh /setup_msmtp.sh
 
 # just check if we execute apache or php-fpm
@@ -66,6 +90,12 @@ if expr "$1" : "apache" 1>/dev/null || [ "$1" = "php-fpm" ]; then
     if [ "$installed_version" = "0.0.0.0" ]; then
       echo "New Friendica instance"
 
+      file_env FRIENDICA_ADMIN_MAIL
+
+      file_env MYSQL_DATABASE
+      file_env MYSQL_USER
+      file_env MYSQL_PASSWORD
+
       install=false
       if [ -n "${MYSQL_DATABASE+x}" ] && [ -n "${MYSQL_PASSWORD+x}" ] && [ -n "${MYSQL_HOST+x}" ] && [ -n "${MYSQL_USER+x}" ] && [ -n "${FRIENDICA_ADMIN_MAIL+x}" ] && [ -n "${FRIENDICA_URL+x}" ]; then
         echo "Installation with environment variables"
diff --git a/2020.07/fpm/entrypoint.sh b/2020.07/fpm/entrypoint.sh
index a6054e3..9a4ee70 100755
--- a/2020.07/fpm/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/2020.07/fpm/entrypoint.sh
@@ -16,6 +16,30 @@ version_greater() {
   [ "$(printf '%s\n' "$@" | sort -r -t '-' -k2,2 | sort -t '.' -n -k1,1 -k2,2 -s | head -n 1)" != "$1" ]
 }
 
+# usage: file_env VAR [DEFAULT]
+#    ie: file_env 'XYZ_DB_PASSWORD' 'example'
+# (will allow for "$XYZ_DB_PASSWORD_FILE" to fill in the value of
+#  "$XYZ_DB_PASSWORD" from a file, especially for Docker's secrets feature)
+file_env() {
+    local var="$1"
+    local fileVar="${var}_FILE"
+    local def="${2:-}"
+    local varValue=$(env | grep -E "^${var}=" | sed -E -e "s/^${var}=//")
+    local fileVarValue=$(env | grep -E "^${fileVar}=" | sed -E -e "s/^${fileVar}=//")
+    if [ -n "${varValue}" ] && [ -n "${fileVarValue}" ]; then
+        echo >&2 "error: both $var and $fileVar are set (but are exclusive)"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    if [ -n "${varValue}" ]; then
+        export "$var"="${varValue}"
+    elif [ -n "${fileVarValue}" ]; then
+        export "$var"="$(cat "${fileVarValue}")"
+    elif [ -n "${def}" ]; then
+        export "$var"="$def"
+    fi
+    unset "$fileVar"
+}
+
 sh /setup_msmtp.sh
 
 # just check if we execute apache or php-fpm
@@ -66,6 +90,12 @@ if expr "$1" : "apache" 1>/dev/null || [ "$1" = "php-fpm" ]; then
     if [ "$installed_version" = "0.0.0.0" ]; then
       echo "New Friendica instance"
 
+      file_env FRIENDICA_ADMIN_MAIL
+
+      file_env MYSQL_DATABASE
+      file_env MYSQL_USER
+      file_env MYSQL_PASSWORD
+
       install=false
       if [ -n "${MYSQL_DATABASE+x}" ] && [ -n "${MYSQL_PASSWORD+x}" ] && [ -n "${MYSQL_HOST+x}" ] && [ -n "${MYSQL_USER+x}" ] && [ -n "${FRIENDICA_ADMIN_MAIL+x}" ] && [ -n "${FRIENDICA_URL+x}" ]; then
         echo "Installation with environment variables"
diff --git a/2020.09-dev/apache/entrypoint.sh b/2020.09-dev/apache/entrypoint.sh
index a6054e3..9a4ee70 100755
--- a/2020.09-dev/apache/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/2020.09-dev/apache/entrypoint.sh
@@ -16,6 +16,30 @@ version_greater() {
   [ "$(printf '%s\n' "$@" | sort -r -t '-' -k2,2 | sort -t '.' -n -k1,1 -k2,2 -s | head -n 1)" != "$1" ]
 }
 
+# usage: file_env VAR [DEFAULT]
+#    ie: file_env 'XYZ_DB_PASSWORD' 'example'
+# (will allow for "$XYZ_DB_PASSWORD_FILE" to fill in the value of
+#  "$XYZ_DB_PASSWORD" from a file, especially for Docker's secrets feature)
+file_env() {
+    local var="$1"
+    local fileVar="${var}_FILE"
+    local def="${2:-}"
+    local varValue=$(env | grep -E "^${var}=" | sed -E -e "s/^${var}=//")
+    local fileVarValue=$(env | grep -E "^${fileVar}=" | sed -E -e "s/^${fileVar}=//")
+    if [ -n "${varValue}" ] && [ -n "${fileVarValue}" ]; then
+        echo >&2 "error: both $var and $fileVar are set (but are exclusive)"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    if [ -n "${varValue}" ]; then
+        export "$var"="${varValue}"
+    elif [ -n "${fileVarValue}" ]; then
+        export "$var"="$(cat "${fileVarValue}")"
+    elif [ -n "${def}" ]; then
+        export "$var"="$def"
+    fi
+    unset "$fileVar"
+}
+
 sh /setup_msmtp.sh
 
 # just check if we execute apache or php-fpm
@@ -66,6 +90,12 @@ if expr "$1" : "apache" 1>/dev/null || [ "$1" = "php-fpm" ]; then
     if [ "$installed_version" = "0.0.0.0" ]; then
       echo "New Friendica instance"
 
+      file_env FRIENDICA_ADMIN_MAIL
+
+      file_env MYSQL_DATABASE
+      file_env MYSQL_USER
+      file_env MYSQL_PASSWORD
+
       install=false
       if [ -n "${MYSQL_DATABASE+x}" ] && [ -n "${MYSQL_PASSWORD+x}" ] && [ -n "${MYSQL_HOST+x}" ] && [ -n "${MYSQL_USER+x}" ] && [ -n "${FRIENDICA_ADMIN_MAIL+x}" ] && [ -n "${FRIENDICA_URL+x}" ]; then
         echo "Installation with environment variables"
diff --git a/2020.09-dev/fpm-alpine/entrypoint.sh b/2020.09-dev/fpm-alpine/entrypoint.sh
index a6054e3..9a4ee70 100755
--- a/2020.09-dev/fpm-alpine/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/2020.09-dev/fpm-alpine/entrypoint.sh
@@ -16,6 +16,30 @@ version_greater() {
   [ "$(printf '%s\n' "$@" | sort -r -t '-' -k2,2 | sort -t '.' -n -k1,1 -k2,2 -s | head -n 1)" != "$1" ]
 }
 
+# usage: file_env VAR [DEFAULT]
+#    ie: file_env 'XYZ_DB_PASSWORD' 'example'
+# (will allow for "$XYZ_DB_PASSWORD_FILE" to fill in the value of
+#  "$XYZ_DB_PASSWORD" from a file, especially for Docker's secrets feature)
+file_env() {
+    local var="$1"
+    local fileVar="${var}_FILE"
+    local def="${2:-}"
+    local varValue=$(env | grep -E "^${var}=" | sed -E -e "s/^${var}=//")
+    local fileVarValue=$(env | grep -E "^${fileVar}=" | sed -E -e "s/^${fileVar}=//")
+    if [ -n "${varValue}" ] && [ -n "${fileVarValue}" ]; then
+        echo >&2 "error: both $var and $fileVar are set (but are exclusive)"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    if [ -n "${varValue}" ]; then
+        export "$var"="${varValue}"
+    elif [ -n "${fileVarValue}" ]; then
+        export "$var"="$(cat "${fileVarValue}")"
+    elif [ -n "${def}" ]; then
+        export "$var"="$def"
+    fi
+    unset "$fileVar"
+}
+
 sh /setup_msmtp.sh
 
 # just check if we execute apache or php-fpm
@@ -66,6 +90,12 @@ if expr "$1" : "apache" 1>/dev/null || [ "$1" = "php-fpm" ]; then
     if [ "$installed_version" = "0.0.0.0" ]; then
       echo "New Friendica instance"
 
+      file_env FRIENDICA_ADMIN_MAIL
+
+      file_env MYSQL_DATABASE
+      file_env MYSQL_USER
+      file_env MYSQL_PASSWORD
+
       install=false
       if [ -n "${MYSQL_DATABASE+x}" ] && [ -n "${MYSQL_PASSWORD+x}" ] && [ -n "${MYSQL_HOST+x}" ] && [ -n "${MYSQL_USER+x}" ] && [ -n "${FRIENDICA_ADMIN_MAIL+x}" ] && [ -n "${FRIENDICA_URL+x}" ]; then
         echo "Installation with environment variables"
diff --git a/2020.09-dev/fpm/entrypoint.sh b/2020.09-dev/fpm/entrypoint.sh
index a6054e3..9a4ee70 100755
--- a/2020.09-dev/fpm/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/2020.09-dev/fpm/entrypoint.sh
@@ -16,6 +16,30 @@ version_greater() {
   [ "$(printf '%s\n' "$@" | sort -r -t '-' -k2,2 | sort -t '.' -n -k1,1 -k2,2 -s | head -n 1)" != "$1" ]
 }
 
+# usage: file_env VAR [DEFAULT]
+#    ie: file_env 'XYZ_DB_PASSWORD' 'example'
+# (will allow for "$XYZ_DB_PASSWORD_FILE" to fill in the value of
+#  "$XYZ_DB_PASSWORD" from a file, especially for Docker's secrets feature)
+file_env() {
+    local var="$1"
+    local fileVar="${var}_FILE"
+    local def="${2:-}"
+    local varValue=$(env | grep -E "^${var}=" | sed -E -e "s/^${var}=//")
+    local fileVarValue=$(env | grep -E "^${fileVar}=" | sed -E -e "s/^${fileVar}=//")
+    if [ -n "${varValue}" ] && [ -n "${fileVarValue}" ]; then
+        echo >&2 "error: both $var and $fileVar are set (but are exclusive)"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    if [ -n "${varValue}" ]; then
+        export "$var"="${varValue}"
+    elif [ -n "${fileVarValue}" ]; then
+        export "$var"="$(cat "${fileVarValue}")"
+    elif [ -n "${def}" ]; then
+        export "$var"="$def"
+    fi
+    unset "$fileVar"
+}
+
 sh /setup_msmtp.sh
 
 # just check if we execute apache or php-fpm
@@ -66,6 +90,12 @@ if expr "$1" : "apache" 1>/dev/null || [ "$1" = "php-fpm" ]; then
     if [ "$installed_version" = "0.0.0.0" ]; then
       echo "New Friendica instance"
 
+      file_env FRIENDICA_ADMIN_MAIL
+
+      file_env MYSQL_DATABASE
+      file_env MYSQL_USER
+      file_env MYSQL_PASSWORD
+
       install=false
       if [ -n "${MYSQL_DATABASE+x}" ] && [ -n "${MYSQL_PASSWORD+x}" ] && [ -n "${MYSQL_HOST+x}" ] && [ -n "${MYSQL_USER+x}" ] && [ -n "${FRIENDICA_ADMIN_MAIL+x}" ] && [ -n "${FRIENDICA_URL+x}" ]; then
         echo "Installation with environment variables"
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8d32442..4fe70cb 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -161,6 +161,66 @@ To enable the automatic installation, you have to the following environment vari
 -	`MYSQL_DATABASE` Name of the database using mysql / mariadb.
 -	`MYSQL_HOST` Hostname of the database server using mysql / mariadb.
 
+# Docker Secrets
+As an alternative to passing sensitive information via environment variables, _FILE may be appended to the previously listed environment variables, causing the initialization script to load the values for those variables from files present in the container.
+In particular, this can be used to load passwords from Docker secrets stored in /run/secrets/<secret_name> files.
+For example:
+```yaml
+version: '3.2'
+
+services:
+  db:
+    image: mariadb
+    restart: always
+    volumes:
+      - db:/var/lib/mysql
+    environment:
+       - MYSQL_DATABASE_FILE=/run/secrets/mysql_db
+       - MYSQL_USER_FILE=/run/secrets/mysql_user
+       - MYSQL_PASSWORD_FILE=/run/secrets/mysql_password
+    secrets:
+      - mysql_database
+      - mysql_password
+      - mysql_user
+
+  app:
+    image: friendica
+    restart: always
+    volumes:
+      - friendica:/var/www/html
+    ports:
+      - "8080:80"
+    environment:
+      - MYSQL_HOST=db
+      - MYSQL_DATABASE_FILE=/run/secrets/mysql_db
+      - MYSQL_USER_FILE=/run/secrets/mysql_user
+      - MYSQL_PASSWORD_FILE=/run/secrets/mysql_password
+      - FRIENDICA_ADMIN_MAIL_FILE=/run/secrets/friendica_admin_mail
+    depends_on:
+      - db
+    secrets:
+      - friendica_admin_mail
+      - mysql_database
+      - mysql_password
+      - mysql_user
+
+volumes:
+  db:
+  friendica:
+
+secrets:
+  friendica_admin_mail:
+    file: ./friendica_admin_mail.txt # put admin email to this file
+  mysql_database:
+    file: ./mysql_database.txt # put mysql database name to this file
+  mysql_password:
+    file: ./mysql_password.txt # put mysql password to this file
+  mysql_user:
+    file: ./mysql_user.txt # put mysql username to this file
+```
+
+Currently, this is only supported for `FRIENDICA_ADMIN_MAIL`, `MYSQL_DATABASE`, `MYSQL_PASSWORD`, `MYSQL_USER`.
+
 # Maintenance of the image
 
 ## Updating to a newer version
diff --git a/docker-entrypoint.sh b/docker-entrypoint.sh
index a6054e3..9a4ee70 100755
--- a/docker-entrypoint.sh
+++ b/docker-entrypoint.sh
@@ -16,6 +16,30 @@ version_greater() {
   [ "$(printf '%s\n' "$@" | sort -r -t '-' -k2,2 | sort -t '.' -n -k1,1 -k2,2 -s | head -n 1)" != "$1" ]
 }
 
+# usage: file_env VAR [DEFAULT]
+#    ie: file_env 'XYZ_DB_PASSWORD' 'example'
+# (will allow for "$XYZ_DB_PASSWORD_FILE" to fill in the value of
+#  "$XYZ_DB_PASSWORD" from a file, especially for Docker's secrets feature)
+file_env() {
+    local var="$1"
+    local fileVar="${var}_FILE"
+    local def="${2:-}"
+    local varValue=$(env | grep -E "^${var}=" | sed -E -e "s/^${var}=//")
+    local fileVarValue=$(env | grep -E "^${fileVar}=" | sed -E -e "s/^${fileVar}=//")
+    if [ -n "${varValue}" ] && [ -n "${fileVarValue}" ]; then
+        echo >&2 "error: both $var and $fileVar are set (but are exclusive)"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    if [ -n "${varValue}" ]; then
+        export "$var"="${varValue}"
+    elif [ -n "${fileVarValue}" ]; then
+        export "$var"="$(cat "${fileVarValue}")"
+    elif [ -n "${def}" ]; then
+        export "$var"="$def"
+    fi
+    unset "$fileVar"
+}
+
 sh /setup_msmtp.sh
 
 # just check if we execute apache or php-fpm
@@ -66,6 +90,12 @@ if expr "$1" : "apache" 1>/dev/null || [ "$1" = "php-fpm" ]; then
     if [ "$installed_version" = "0.0.0.0" ]; then
       echo "New Friendica instance"
 
+      file_env FRIENDICA_ADMIN_MAIL
+
+      file_env MYSQL_DATABASE
+      file_env MYSQL_USER
+      file_env MYSQL_PASSWORD
+
       install=false
       if [ -n "${MYSQL_DATABASE+x}" ] && [ -n "${MYSQL_PASSWORD+x}" ] && [ -n "${MYSQL_HOST+x}" ] && [ -n "${MYSQL_USER+x}" ] && [ -n "${FRIENDICA_ADMIN_MAIL+x}" ] && [ -n "${FRIENDICA_URL+x}" ]; then
         echo "Installation with environment variables"