diff --git a/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json b/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
index 73d75d6..c72df84 100644
--- a/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
+++ b/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
@@ -2,15 +2,6 @@
   "name": "caltrans/pems",
   "dockerComposeFile": ["../compose.yml"],
   "service": "dev",
-  "runServices": [
-    "dev",
-    "docs",
-    "es01",
-    "kibana",
-    "metricbeat01",
-    "filebeat01",
-    "logstash01"
-  ],
   "forwardPorts": ["docs:8000", "kibana:5601"],
   "workspaceFolder": "/home/caltrans/src",
   "postAttachCommand": ["/bin/bash", ".devcontainer/postAttach.sh"],
diff --git a/.env.sample b/.env.sample
index ef21e4f..9472e86 100644
--- a/.env.sample
+++ b/.env.sample
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+# uncomment to start the elasticstack services with compose
+# COMPOSE_PROFILES=elasticstack
+
 # Version of Elastic products
 ELASTIC_STACK_VERSION=8.16.1
 
diff --git a/compose.yml b/compose.yml
index 39c2345..eb8c5ab 100644
--- a/compose.yml
+++ b/compose.yml
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ services:
       - ./:/home/caltrans/src
 
   esconfig:
+    profiles: ["elasticstack"]
     image: docker.elastic.co/elasticsearch/elasticsearch:${ELASTIC_STACK_VERSION}
     user: "0"
     command: ["bash", "/.local/config/setup.sh"]
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@ services:
       retries: 120
 
   es01:
+    profiles: ["elasticstack"]
     depends_on:
       esconfig:
         condition: service_healthy
@@ -78,6 +80,7 @@ services:
       retries: 120
 
   kibana:
+    profiles: ["elasticstack"]
     depends_on:
       es01:
         condition: service_healthy
@@ -111,6 +114,7 @@ services:
       retries: 120
 
   metricbeat01:
+    profiles: ["elasticstack"]
     depends_on:
       es01:
         condition: service_healthy
@@ -139,6 +143,7 @@ services:
       - --strict.perms=false
 
   filebeat01:
+    profiles: ["elasticstack"]
     depends_on:
       es01:
         condition: service_healthy
@@ -163,6 +168,7 @@ services:
       - --strict.perms=false
 
   logstash01:
+    profiles: ["elasticstack"]
     depends_on:
       es01:
         condition: service_healthy