diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 19561a1..aceaac1 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -91,7 +91,8 @@ ENV LOGOUT_URL https://localhost:8443/Shibboleth.sso/Logout
 # Other parameters
 
 ENV MP_KEYSTORE_PASSWORD_FILE /run/secrets/mp_keystore_password.txt
-ENV MP_MEM 2048m
+ENV MP_MEM_MAX 2048m
+ENV MP_MEM_INIT 1024m
 ENV TIER_RELEASE not-released-yet
 ENV TIER_MAINTAINER tier
 
diff --git a/container_files/usr-local-bin/start-midpoint.sh b/container_files/usr-local-bin/start-midpoint.sh
index 0ccf340..ddc377b 100755
--- a/container_files/usr-local-bin/start-midpoint.sh
+++ b/container_files/usr-local-bin/start-midpoint.sh
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ function check () {
 # These variables have reasonable defaults in Dockerfile. So we will _not_ supply defaults here.
 # The composer or user has to make sure they are well defined.
 
-check MP_MEM
+check MP_MEM_MAX
+check MP_MEM_INIT
 check MP_DIR
 check REPO_DATABASE_TYPE
 check REPO_USER
@@ -23,7 +24,7 @@ check SSO_HEADER
 check AJP_ENABLED
 check AJP_PORT
 
-java -Xmx$MP_MEM -Xms2048m -Dfile.encoding=UTF8 \
+java -Xmx$MP_MEM_MAX -Xms$MP_MEM_INIT -Dfile.encoding=UTF8 \
        -Dmidpoint.home=$MP_DIR/var \
        -Dmidpoint.repository.database=$REPO_DATABASE_TYPE \
        -Dmidpoint.repository.jdbcUsername=$REPO_USER \
@@ -44,4 +45,5 @@ java -Xmx$MP_MEM -Xms2048m -Dfile.encoding=UTF8 \
        -Dserver.tomcat.ajp.enabled=$AJP_ENABLED \
        -Dserver.tomcat.ajp.port=$AJP_PORT \
        -Dlogging.path=/tmp/logtomcat \
+       $MP_JAVA_OPTS \
        -jar $MP_DIR/lib/midpoint.war &>/tmp/logmidpoint-console
diff --git a/demo/simple/.env b/demo/simple/.env
index 84e50b2..2ae3222 100644
--- a/demo/simple/.env
+++ b/demo/simple/.env
@@ -9,4 +9,5 @@ REPO_DATABASE=registry
 REPO_USER=registry_user
 REPO_MISSING_SCHEMA_ACTION=create
 REPO_UPGRADEABLE_SCHEMA_ACTION=stop
-MP_MEM=2048m
+MP_MEM_MAX=2048m
+MP_MEM_INIT=1024m
diff --git a/demo/simple/docker-compose.yml b/demo/simple/docker-compose.yml
index ecadd67..2d1788c 100644
--- a/demo/simple/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/demo/simple/docker-compose.yml
@@ -30,7 +30,9 @@ services:
      - REPO_UPGRADEABLE_SCHEMA_ACTION
      - REPO_SCHEMA_VERSION_IF_MISSING
      - REPO_SCHEMA_VARIANT
-     - MP_MEM
+     - MP_MEM_MAX
+     - MP_MEM_INIT
+     - MP_JAVA_OPTS
      - TIER_BEACON_OPT_OUT
     networks:
      - net
@@ -52,12 +54,12 @@ networks:
     driver: bridge
 
 secrets:
-  mp_host-key.pem:
-    file: ./configs-and-secrets/midpoint/httpd/host-key.pem
   mp_database_password.txt:
     file: ./configs-and-secrets/midpoint/application/database_password.txt
   mp_keystore_password.txt:
     file: ./configs-and-secrets/midpoint/application/keystore_password.txt
+  mp_host-key.pem:
+    file: ./configs-and-secrets/midpoint/httpd/host-key.pem
     
 volumes:
   midpoint_mysql: