diff --git a/compose/testcontainers/compose/__init__.py b/compose/testcontainers/compose/__init__.py
index 3a785a3c..c9eaa38a 100644
--- a/compose/testcontainers/compose/__init__.py
+++ b/compose/testcontainers/compose/__init__.py
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ class DockerCompose:
     Args:
         filepath: Relative directory containing the docker compose configuration file.
         compose_file_name: File name of the docker compose configuration file.
+        compose_command: The command to use for docker compose. If not specified, a call to
+            docker compose --help will be made to determine the correct command to use.
+            If docker compose is not installed, docker-compose will be used.
         pull: Pull images before launching environment.
         build: Build images referenced in the configuration file.
         env_file: Path to an env file containing environment variables to pass to docker compose.
@@ -45,6 +48,7 @@ def __init__(
             self,
             filepath: str,
             compose_file_name: Union[str, Iterable] = "docker-compose.yml",
+            compose_command: str = None,
             pull: bool = False,
             build: bool = False,
             env_file: Optional[str] = None,
@@ -57,6 +61,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.build = build
         self.env_file = env_file
         self.services = services
+        self.compose_command = self._get_compose_command(compose_command)
 
     def __enter__(self) -> "DockerCompose":
         self.start()
@@ -65,6 +70,25 @@ def __enter__(self) -> "DockerCompose":
     def __exit__(self, exc_type, exc_val, exc_tb) -> None:
         self.stop()
 
+    def _get_compose_command(self, command):
+        """
+        Returns the basecommand parts used for the docker compose commands
+        depending on the docker compose api.
+
+        Returns
+        -------
+        list[str]
+            The docker compose command parts
+        """
+        if command:
+            return command.split(" ")
+
+        if subprocess.run(["docker", "compose", "--help"], stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL,
+                          stderr=subprocess.STDOUT).returncode == 0:
+            return ["docker", "compose"]
+
+        return ["docker-compose"]
+
     def docker_compose_command(self) -> List[str]:
         """
         Returns command parts used for the docker compose commands
@@ -72,7 +96,7 @@ def docker_compose_command(self) -> List[str]:
         Returns:
             cmd: Docker compose command parts.
         """
-        docker_compose_cmd = ['docker-compose']
+        docker_compose_cmd = self._get_compose_command[:]
         for file in self.compose_file_names:
             docker_compose_cmd += ['-f', file]
         if self.env_file:
@@ -84,22 +108,21 @@ def start(self) -> None:
         Starts the docker compose environment.
         """
         if self.pull:
-            pull_cmd = self.docker_compose_command() + ['pull']
+            pull_cmd = self.compose_command + ['pull']
             self._call_command(cmd=pull_cmd)
 
-        up_cmd = self.docker_compose_command() + ['up', '-d']
+        up_cmd = self.compose_command + ['up', '-d']
         if self.build:
             up_cmd.append('--build')
         if self.services:
             up_cmd.extend(self.services)
-
         self._call_command(cmd=up_cmd)
 
     def stop(self) -> None:
         """
         Stops the docker compose environment.
         """
-        down_cmd = self.docker_compose_command() + ['down', '-v']
+        down_cmd = self.compose_command + ['down', '-v']
         self._call_command(cmd=down_cmd)
 
     def get_logs(self) -> Tuple[str, str]:
@@ -110,7 +133,7 @@ def get_logs(self) -> Tuple[str, str]:
             stdout: Standard output stream.
             stderr: Standard error stream.
         """
-        logs_cmd = self.docker_compose_command() + ["logs"]
+        logs_cmd = self.compose_command + ["logs"]
         result = subprocess.run(
             logs_cmd,
             cwd=self.filepath,
@@ -131,7 +154,7 @@ def exec_in_container(self, service_name: str, command: List[str]) -> Tuple[str,
             stdout: Standard output stream.
             stderr: Standard error stream.
         """
-        exec_cmd = self.docker_compose_command() + ['exec', '-T', service_name] + command
+        exec_cmd = self.compose_command + ['exec', '-T', service_name] + command
         result = subprocess.run(
             exec_cmd,
             cwd=self.filepath,
@@ -167,8 +190,11 @@ def get_service_host(self, service_name: str, port: int) -> str:
         return self._get_service_info(service_name, port)[0]
 
     def _get_service_info(self, service: str, port: int) -> List[str]:
-        port_cmd = self.docker_compose_command() + ["port", service, str(port)]
-        output = subprocess.check_output(port_cmd, cwd=self.filepath).decode("utf-8")
+        port_cmd = self.compose_command + ["port", service, str(port)]
+        try:
+            output = subprocess.check_output(port_cmd, cwd=self.filepath).decode("utf-8")
+        except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
+            raise NoSuchPortExposed(str(e.stderr))
         result = str(output).rstrip().split(":")
         if len(result) != 2 or not all(result):
             raise NoSuchPortExposed(f"port {port} is not exposed for service {service}")
diff --git a/compose/tests/test_docker_compose.py b/compose/tests/test_docker_compose.py
index da611f1c..8dce2a15 100644
--- a/compose/tests/test_docker_compose.py
+++ b/compose/tests/test_docker_compose.py
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ def test_can_build_images_before_spawning_service_via_compose():
 
     assert compose.build
     docker_compose_cmd = call_mock.call_args_list[0][1]["cmd"]
-    assert "docker-compose" in docker_compose_cmd
+    assert "docker-compose" in docker_compose_cmd or ("docker" in docker_compose_cmd
+                                                      and "compose" in docker_compose_cmd)
     assert "up" in docker_compose_cmd
     assert "--build" in docker_compose_cmd