diff --git a/docs/migrating_to_18.md b/docs/migrating_to_18.md
index acb5068d..e51eacc2 100644
--- a/docs/migrating_to_18.md
+++ b/docs/migrating_to_18.md
@@ -29,14 +29,16 @@ Version 18 includes two new Bento Public environment variables for customizing a
 
 * `BENTO_PUBLIC_SHOW_PORTAL_LINK`: Whether to show a link to the private data portal in the header
 * `BENTO_PUBLIC_SHOW_SIGN_IN`: Whether to show a "Sign In" button in the header
+* `BENTO_PUBLIC_FORCE_CATALOGUE`: Whether to force the data catalogue to display, even with only a single project.
 
-Both of these are set to `true` by default. If desired, they can be toggled to `false` by setting them in `local.env`,
-for example:
+The first two are set to `true` by default, and the last is set to `false`. If desired, they can be toggled to 
+non-default settings by modifying `local.env`, for example:
 
 ```bash
 # ...
 BENTO_PUBLIC_SHOW_PORTAL_LINK='false'
 BENTO_PUBLIC_SHOW_SIGN_IN='false'
+BENTO_PUBLIC_FORCE_CATALOGUE='true'
 # ...
 ```
 
diff --git a/etc/bento_deploy.env b/etc/bento_deploy.env
index 8793c6b1..d28f27fd 100644
--- a/etc/bento_deploy.env
+++ b/etc/bento_deploy.env
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ BENTO_PUBLIC_TRANSLATED='true'
 #    - Switches to enable various links in the Bento Public header (these default to being on)
 BENTO_PUBLIC_SHOW_PORTAL_LINK='true'
 BENTO_PUBLIC_SHOW_SIGN_IN='true'
+#    - Switch to force-show the data catalogue in Bento Public even with a single project
+BENTO_PUBLIC_FORCE_CATALOGUE='false'
 
 # Feature switches end ------------------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/etc/bento_dev.env b/etc/bento_dev.env
index ec5eb59b..7f3d81df 100644
--- a/etc/bento_dev.env
+++ b/etc/bento_dev.env
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ BENTO_PUBLIC_TRANSLATED='true'
 #    - Switches to enable various links in the Bento Public header (these default to being on)
 BENTO_PUBLIC_SHOW_PORTAL_LINK='true'
 BENTO_PUBLIC_SHOW_SIGN_IN='true'
+#    - Switch to force-show the data catalogue in Bento Public even with a single project
+BENTO_PUBLIC_FORCE_CATALOGUE='false'
 
 # Feature switches end ------------------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/etc/default_config.env b/etc/default_config.env
index f7121acc..a30ca450 100644
--- a/etc/default_config.env
+++ b/etc/default_config.env
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ BENTO_PUBLIC_TRANSLATED='true'
 #    - Switches to enable various links in the Bento Public header (these default to being on)
 BENTO_PUBLIC_SHOW_PORTAL_LINK='true'
 BENTO_PUBLIC_SHOW_SIGN_IN='true'
+#    - Switch to force-show the data catalogue in Bento Public even with a single project
+BENTO_PUBLIC_FORCE_CATALOGUE='false'
 
 # Feature switches end ------------------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/lib/public/docker-compose.public.yaml b/lib/public/docker-compose.public.yaml
index 3b80eea5..1a899d40 100644
--- a/lib/public/docker-compose.public.yaml
+++ b/lib/public/docker-compose.public.yaml
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ services:
       - BENTO_PUBLIC_TRANSLATED
       - BENTO_PUBLIC_SHOW_PORTAL_LINK
       - BENTO_PUBLIC_SHOW_SIGN_IN
+      - BENTO_PUBLIC_FORCE_CATALOGUE
       - BENTO_BEACON_UI_ENABLED
       - BENTO_BEACON_NETWORK_ENABLED
       - BEACON_URL=${BENTOV2_PUBLIC_URL}/api/beacon