diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index a5377f7d7..779bca544 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 ## What's New
 
+* github.com/openziti/ziti: [v0.27.9 -> v0.27.10](https://github.com/openziti/ziti/compare/v0.27.9...v0.27.10)
+  * [Issue #1013](https://github.com/openziti/ziti/issues/1013) - Stop regenerating a new password with each container 'down/up' cycle
 * Added AMQP event writter for events
 
 # Release 0.27.9
diff --git a/quickstart/docker/.env b/quickstart/docker/.env
index af21b1eff..577d31807 100644
--- a/quickstart/docker/.env
+++ b/quickstart/docker/.env
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ ZITI_CONTROLLER_RAWNAME=ziti-controller
 #ZITI_CONTROLLER_HOSTNAME=advertised.address
 #ZITI_CTRL_PORT=8440
 
+# Leave password blank to have a unique value generated or set the password explicitly
+ZITI_PWD=
+
 ZITI_EDGE_CONTROLLER_RAWNAME=ziti-edge-controller
 #ZITI_EDGE_CONTROLLER_HOSTNAME=advertised.address
 #ZITI_EDGE_CONTROLLER_PORT=8441
diff --git a/quickstart/docker/docker-compose.yml b/quickstart/docker/docker-compose.yml
index 7cff37dce..cdd600793 100644
--- a/quickstart/docker/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/quickstart/docker/docker-compose.yml
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ services:
     environment:
       - ZITI_EDGE_IDENTITY_ENROLLMENT_DURATION=${ZITI_EDGE_IDENTITY_ENROLLMENT_DURATION}
       - ZITI_EDGE_ROUTER_ENROLLMENT_DURATION=${ZITI_EDGE_ROUTER_ENROLLMENT_DURATION}
+      - ZITI_PWD=${ZITI_PWD}
     networks:
       zitiblue:
         aliases:
diff --git a/quickstart/docker/image/run-controller.sh b/quickstart/docker/image/run-controller.sh
index 21a0c34b3..93ec7bd60 100755
--- a/quickstart/docker/image/run-controller.sh
+++ b/quickstart/docker/image/run-controller.sh
@@ -7,8 +7,11 @@ export ZITI_EDGE_CONTROLLER_RAWNAME=ziti-edge-controller
 
 . "${ZITI_SCRIPTS}/ziti-cli-functions.sh"
 
-generateEnvFile
-. ${ZITI_HOME}/ziti.env
+# access-control.init is created by ziti-controller-init-container after initial controller startup
+if [ ! -f "${ZITI_HOME}/access-control.init" ]; then
+  generateEnvFile
+fi
+. "${ZITI_HOME}/ziti.env"
 
 # create pki
 createPki
diff --git a/quickstart/docker/simplified-docker-compose.yml b/quickstart/docker/simplified-docker-compose.yml
index 407beb3eb..bc9d20e13 100644
--- a/quickstart/docker/simplified-docker-compose.yml
+++ b/quickstart/docker/simplified-docker-compose.yml
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ services:
     environment:
       - ZITI_EDGE_IDENTITY_ENROLLMENT_DURATION=${ZITI_EDGE_IDENTITY_ENROLLMENT_DURATION}
       - ZITI_EDGE_ROUTER_ENROLLMENT_DURATION=${ZITI_EDGE_ROUTER_ENROLLMENT_DURATION}
+      - ZITI_PWD=${ZITI_PWD}
     networks:
       zitiblue:
         aliases: