diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 49b402bd1..30584e1c7 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -80,6 +80,15 @@ Runs a local Apache Airflow environment that is a close representation of MWAA b
 
 To stop the local environment, Ctrl+C on the terminal and wait till the local runner and the postgres containers are stopped.
 
+If you need to authenticate with any live AWS services such as S3, export the following environment variables, which will get passed through:
+
+```bash
+export AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID=...
+export AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=...
+export AWS_DEFAULT_REGION=...
+./mwaa-local-env start
+```
+
 ### Step three: Accessing the Airflow UI
 
 By default, the `bootstrap.sh` script creates a username and password for your local Airflow environment.
diff --git a/docker/docker-compose-local.yml b/docker/docker-compose-local.yml
index 510824857..04790fe9c 100644
--- a/docker/docker-compose-local.yml
+++ b/docker/docker-compose-local.yml
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ services:
         environment:
             - LOAD_EX=n
             - EXECUTOR=Local
+            - "AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID=${AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID}"
+            - "AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=${AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY}"
+            - "AWS_DEFAULT_REGION=${AWS_DEFAULT_REGION}"
         logging:
             options:
                 max-size: 10m