diff --git a/cmd/compose/compose.go b/cmd/compose/compose.go
index f10865521..43f91d2f2 100644
--- a/cmd/compose/compose.go
+++ b/cmd/compose/compose.go
@@ -209,6 +209,10 @@ func (o *projectOptions) toProject(services []string, po ...cli.ProjectOptionsFn
 		project.Services[i] = s
 	}
 
+	if profiles, ok := options.Environment["COMPOSE_PROFILES"]; ok && len(o.Profiles) == 0 {
+		o.Profiles = append(o.Profiles, strings.Split(profiles, ",")...)
+	}
+
 	if len(services) > 0 {
 		s, err := project.GetServices(services...)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -217,10 +221,6 @@ func (o *projectOptions) toProject(services []string, po ...cli.ProjectOptionsFn
 		o.Profiles = append(o.Profiles, s.GetProfiles()...)
 	}
 
-	if profiles, ok := options.Environment["COMPOSE_PROFILES"]; ok {
-		o.Profiles = append(o.Profiles, strings.Split(profiles, ",")...)
-	}
-
 	project.ApplyProfiles(o.Profiles)
 
 	project.WithoutUnnecessaryResources()