diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 8b0ec782..eddce74a 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -71,7 +71,6 @@ ENV UID=1000 GID=1000 \
   TYPE=VANILLA VERSION=LATEST FORGEVERSION=RECOMMENDED SPONGEBRANCH=STABLE SPONGEVERSION= FABRICVERSION=LATEST LEVEL=world \
   PVP=true DIFFICULTY=easy ENABLE_RCON=true RCON_PORT=25575 RCON_PASSWORD=minecraft \
   LEVEL_TYPE=DEFAULT SERVER_PORT=25565 ONLINE_MODE=TRUE SERVER_NAME="Dedicated Server" \
-  REPLACE_ENV_VARIABLES="FALSE" ENV_VARIABLE_PREFIX="CFG_" \
   ENABLE_AUTOPAUSE=false AUTOPAUSE_TIMEOUT_EST=3600 AUTOPAUSE_TIMEOUT_KN=120 AUTOPAUSE_TIMEOUT_INIT=600 AUTOPAUSE_PERIOD=10
 
 COPY start* /
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b17fcece..9ed143ac 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ defined environment variables. Variables that you want to replace need to be wra
 inside `${YOUR_VARIABLE}` curly brackets and prefixed with a dollar sign. This is the regular
 syntax for enviromment variables inside strings or config files.
 
-Optionally you can also define a prefix to only match predefined enviroment variables.
+Optionally you can also define a prefix to only match predefined environment variables.
 
 `ENV_VARIABLE_PREFIX="CFG_"` <-- this is the default prefix
 
@@ -322,6 +322,8 @@ There are some limitations to what characters you can use.
 Variables will be replaced in files with the following extensions:
 `.yml`, `.yaml`, `.txt`, `.cfg`, `.conf`, `.properties`.
 
+Specific files can be excluded by listing their name (without path) in the variable `REPLACE_ENV_VARIABLES_EXCLUDES`. 
+
 Here is a full example where we want to replace values inside a `database.yml`.
 
 ```yml
diff --git a/start-finalSetup05EnvVariables b/start-finalSetup05EnvVariables
index 3df6b5a2..4ec1b7ee 100644
--- a/start-finalSetup05EnvVariables
+++ b/start-finalSetup05EnvVariables
@@ -2,8 +2,17 @@
 
 . ${SCRIPTS:-/}start-utils
 
-if [ "${REPLACE_ENV_VARIABLES^^}" = "TRUE" ]; then
+: ${ENV_VARIABLE_PREFIX:=CFG_}
+
+if isTrue "${REPLACE_ENV_VARIABLES}"; then
   log "Replacing env variables in configs that match the prefix $ENV_VARIABLE_PREFIX..."
+
+  findExcludes=
+  for f in ${REPLACE_ENV_VARIABLES_EXCLUDES}; do
+    findExcludes="${findExcludes} -not -name $f"
+  done
+  isDebugging && echo "Using find exclusion: $findExcludes"
+
   while IFS='=' read -r name value ; do
     # check if name of env variable matches the prefix
     # sanity check environment variables to avoid code injections
@@ -20,6 +29,7 @@ if [ "${REPLACE_ENV_VARIABLES^^}" = "TRUE" ]; then
       find /data/ -type f \
           \( -name "*.yml" -or -name "*.yaml" -or -name "*.txt" -or -name "*.cfg" \
           -or -name "*.conf" -or -name "*.properties" \) \
+          $findExcludes \
           -exec sed -i 's#${'"$name"'}#'"$value"'#g' {} \;
     fi
   done < <(env)