diff --git a/cmd/compose/down.go b/cmd/compose/down.go
index a8104fef8..e94aec1f5 100644
--- a/cmd/compose/down.go
+++ b/cmd/compose/down.go
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ func downCommand(p *projectOptions, backend api.Service) *cobra.Command {
 		ValidArgsFunction: noCompletion(),
 	}
 	flags := downCmd.Flags()
-	removeOrphans := utils.StringToBool(os.Getenv("COMPOSE_REMOVE_ORPHANS "))
+	removeOrphans := utils.StringToBool(os.Getenv("COMPOSE_REMOVE_ORPHANS"))
 	flags.BoolVar(&opts.removeOrphans, "remove-orphans", removeOrphans, "Remove containers for services not defined in the Compose file.")
 	flags.IntVarP(&opts.timeout, "timeout", "t", 10, "Specify a shutdown timeout in seconds")
 	flags.BoolVarP(&opts.volumes, "volumes", "v", false, " Remove named volumes declared in the `volumes` section of the Compose file and anonymous volumes attached to containers.")
diff --git a/pkg/e2e/compose_run_test.go b/pkg/e2e/compose_run_test.go
index 4fe88dce7..af46b2dbd 100644
--- a/pkg/e2e/compose_run_test.go
+++ b/pkg/e2e/compose_run_test.go
@@ -116,8 +116,10 @@ func TestLocalComposeRun(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 
 	t.Run("down", func(t *testing.T) {
-		c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-f", "./fixtures/run-test/compose.yaml", "down")
-		c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-f", "./fixtures/run-test/orphan.yaml", "down")
+		cmd := c.NewDockerCmd("compose", "-f", "./fixtures/run-test/compose.yaml", "down")
+		icmd.RunCmd(cmd, func(c *icmd.Cmd) {
+			c.Env = append(c.Env, "COMPOSE_REMOVE_ORPHANS=True")
+		})
 		res := c.RunDockerCmd(t, "ps", "--all")
 		assert.Assert(t, !strings.Contains(res.Stdout(), "run-test"), res.Stdout())
 	})