diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index 030603a..f543e05 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ buildscript {
     }
     dependencies {
         classpath "io.eventuate.plugins.gradle:eventuate-plugins-gradle-publish:$eventuatePluginsGradleVersion"
-        classpath "com.avast.gradle:gradle-docker-compose-plugin:0.13.2"
+        classpath "com.avast.gradle:gradle-docker-compose-plugin:$dockerComposePluginVersion"
     }
 }
 
@@ -62,6 +62,6 @@ dockerCompose {
     publish {
         projectName = null
         useComposeFiles = ["docker-compose.yml"]
-        removeContainers = project.ext.removeContainers
+        removeContainers = project.ext.removeContainers.toBoolean()
     }
 }
diff --git a/gradle.properties b/gradle.properties
index 3f8930c..bab71da 100644
--- a/gradle.properties
+++ b/gradle.properties
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 
 deployUrl=file:///Users/cer/.m2/testdeploy
+dockerComposePluginVersion=0.16.12
 
 dockerImageTag=latest
 removeContainers=false