diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index cd598dc4..66808883 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -753,12 +753,18 @@ To whitelist players for your Minecraft server, pass the Minecraft usernames sep
 
 If the `WHITELIST` environment variable is not used, any user can join your Minecraft server if it's publicly accessible.
 
+> NOTE: When `WHITELIST` is used the server property `white-list` will automatically get set to `true`.
+
+> By default, the players in `WHITELIST` are **added** to the final `whitelist.json` file by the Minecraft server. If you set `OVERRIDE_WHITELIST` to "true" then the `whitelist.json` file will be recreated on each server startup.
+
 ### Op/Administrator Players
 
 To add more "op" (aka adminstrator) users to your Minecraft server, pass the Minecraft usernames separated by commas via the `OPS` environment variable, such as
 
     docker run -d -e OPS=user1,user2 ...
 
+> By default, the players in `OPS` are **added** to the final `ops.json` file by the Minecraft server. If you set `OVERRIDE_OPS` to "true" then the `ops.json` file will be recreated on each server startup.
+
 ### Server icon
 
 A server icon can be configured using the `ICON` variable. The image will be automatically
diff --git a/start-minecraftFinalSetup b/start-minecraftFinalSetup
index 812a9bb0..4ee8b71c 100644
--- a/start-minecraftFinalSetup
+++ b/start-minecraftFinalSetup
@@ -3,15 +3,25 @@
 . ${SCRIPTS:-/}start-utils
 
 if [ -n "$OPS" ]; then
-  log "Setting/adding ops"
-  rm -rf /data/ops.txt.converted
+  log "Updating ops"
+  rm -f /data/ops.txt.converted
   echo $OPS | awk -v RS=, '{print}' > /data/ops.txt
+
+  if isTrue "${OVERRIDE_OPS}"; then
+    log "Recreating ops.json file at server startup"
+    rm -f /data/ops.json
+  fi
 fi
 
 if [ -n "$WHITELIST" ]; then
-  log "Setting whitelist"
-  rm -rf /data/white-list.txt.converted
+  log "Updating whitelist"
+  rm -f /data/white-list.txt.converted
   echo $WHITELIST | awk -v RS=, '{print}' > /data/white-list.txt
+
+  if isTrue "${OVERRIDE_WHITELIST}"; then
+    log "Recreating whitelist.json file at server startup"
+    rm -f /data/whitelist.json
+  fi
 fi
 
 if [ -n "$ICON" ]; then