diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9c744cd..fdf0877 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -55,18 +55,15 @@ HTML_VOLUME=test_html_staging
 
 Two important Nginx configuration files are available in the project directory.  After editing, perform a restart:  
 ```bash
-./default.conf  # Automatically generated each time the script runs
+./default.conf  # generate-compose-nginx.sh respects user added changes
 ./nginx.conf    # Manually customizable configuration
 ```
 
-⚠️ **Warning:** `default.conf` is regenerated every time `generate-compose-nginx.sh` runs.  
-Make a backup before modifying if you plan to change the project name.
-
 ---
 
 ## 🚀 Usage  
 
-### **Initialize a Project with a Unique `COMPOSE_PROJECT_NAME`**  
+### **Initialize a Project with a Unique `COMPOSE_PROJECT_NAME`; expects one word**  
 Run the following script to generate the required files:  
 ```bash
 ./generate-compose-nginx.sh
diff --git a/generate-compose-nginx.sh b/generate-compose-nginx.sh
index a580f06..1a270d8 100755
--- a/generate-compose-nginx.sh
+++ b/generate-compose-nginx.sh
@@ -16,4 +16,20 @@ fi
 export SERVICE_SUFFIX=${COMPOSE_PROJECT_NAME:-main}
 export COMPOSE_PROJECT_NAME
 envsubst < docker-compose.template.yml > docker-compose.yml
-envsubst '${COMPOSE_PROJECT_NAME}' < default.template.conf > default.conf
\ No newline at end of file
+
+# Define the new value for the database host
+export new_wp="wordpress_${COMPOSE_PROJECT_NAME}"
+
+# If default.conf doesn't exist, create it from the template (using envsubst restricted to COMPOSE_PROJECT_NAME)
+if [ ! -f default.conf ]; then
+    echo "default.conf not found, creating from default.template.conf..."
+    envsubst '${COMPOSE_PROJECT_NAME}' < default.template.conf > default.conf
+fi
+
+# Check if the existing default.conf contains a database hostname matching the pattern (it may or may not contain the env variable placeholder)
+if grep -qE "\bwordpress_\w+(?::\d+)?\b" default.conf; then
+    # Update in-place only the portion that matches the database host pattern.
+    # sed -i "s/\bwordpress_\w+(?::\d+)?\b/${new_wp}/g" default.conf
+    perl -pi -e 's/\bwordpress_\w+(?::(\d+))?\b/$ENV{"new_wp"} . (defined($1) ? ":$1" : "")/eg' default.conf
+    echo "default.conf updated with COMPOSE_PROJECT_NAME='${COMPOSE_PROJECT_NAME}'."
+fi