diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-testcontainers/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/testcontainers/lifecycle/TestcontainersLifecycleBeanPostProcessor.java b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-testcontainers/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/testcontainers/lifecycle/TestcontainersLifecycleBeanPostProcessor.java
index 519d5de0d6a..7d23eb65367 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-testcontainers/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/testcontainers/lifecycle/TestcontainersLifecycleBeanPostProcessor.java
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-testcontainers/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/testcontainers/lifecycle/TestcontainersLifecycleBeanPostProcessor.java
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
 import org.testcontainers.containers.ContainerState;
 import org.testcontainers.containers.GenericContainer;
 import org.testcontainers.lifecycle.Startable;
+import org.testcontainers.utility.TestcontainersConfiguration;
 
 import org.springframework.beans.BeansException;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.BeanCreationException;
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ import org.springframework.core.log.LogMessage;
  *
  * @author Phillip Webb
  * @author Stephane Nicoll
+ * @author Scott Frederick
  * @see TestcontainersLifecycleApplicationContextInitializer
  */
 @Order(Ordered.LOWEST_PRECEDENCE)
@@ -183,7 +185,8 @@ class TestcontainersLifecycleBeanPostProcessor
 	}
 
 	private boolean isReusedContainer(Object bean) {
-		return (bean instanceof GenericContainer<?> container) && container.isShouldBeReused();
+		return (bean instanceof GenericContainer<?> container) && container.isShouldBeReused()
+				&& TestcontainersConfiguration.getInstance().environmentSupportsReuse();
 	}
 
 	enum Startables {
diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-testcontainers/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/testcontainers/lifecycle/TestcontainersLifecycleApplicationContextInitializerTests.java b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-testcontainers/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/testcontainers/lifecycle/TestcontainersLifecycleApplicationContextInitializerTests.java
index a00c0da51de..68b5c46c415 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-testcontainers/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/testcontainers/lifecycle/TestcontainersLifecycleApplicationContextInitializerTests.java
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-testcontainers/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/testcontainers/lifecycle/TestcontainersLifecycleApplicationContextInitializerTests.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2012-2023 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2012-2024 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -18,9 +18,11 @@ package org.springframework.boot.testcontainers.lifecycle;
 
 import java.util.Map;
 
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.BeforeEach;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
 import org.testcontainers.containers.GenericContainer;
 import org.testcontainers.lifecycle.Startable;
+import org.testcontainers.utility.TestcontainersConfiguration;
 
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.config.BeanPostProcessor;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.support.AbstractBeanFactory;
@@ -43,9 +45,15 @@ import static org.mockito.Mockito.times;
  *
  * @author Stephane Nicoll
  * @author Phillip Webb
+ * @author Scott Frederick
  */
 class TestcontainersLifecycleApplicationContextInitializerTests {
 
+	@BeforeEach
+	void setUp() {
+		TestcontainersConfiguration.getInstance().updateUserConfig("testcontainers.reuse.enable", "false");
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	void whenStartableBeanInvokesStartOnRefresh() {
 		Startable container = mock(Startable.class);
@@ -67,7 +75,8 @@ class TestcontainersLifecycleApplicationContextInitializerTests {
 	}
 
 	@Test
-	void whenReusableContainerBeanInvokesStartButNotClose() {
+	void whenReusableContainerAndReuseEnabledBeanInvokesStartButNotClose() {
+		TestcontainersConfiguration.getInstance().updateUserConfig("testcontainers.reuse.enable", "true");
 		GenericContainer<?> container = mock(GenericContainer.class);
 		given(container.isShouldBeReused()).willReturn(true);
 		AnnotationConfigApplicationContext applicationContext = createApplicationContext(container);
@@ -79,7 +88,20 @@ class TestcontainersLifecycleApplicationContextInitializerTests {
 	}
 
 	@Test
-	void whenReusableContainerBeanFromConfigurationInvokesStartButNotClose() {
+	void whenReusableContainerButReuseNotEnabledBeanInvokesStartAndClose() {
+		GenericContainer<?> container = mock(GenericContainer.class);
+		given(container.isShouldBeReused()).willReturn(true);
+		AnnotationConfigApplicationContext applicationContext = createApplicationContext(container);
+		then(container).shouldHaveNoInteractions();
+		applicationContext.refresh();
+		then(container).should().start();
+		applicationContext.close();
+		then(container).should(times(1)).close();
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	void whenReusableContainerAndReuseEnabledBeanFromConfigurationInvokesStartButNotClose() {
+		TestcontainersConfiguration.getInstance().updateUserConfig("testcontainers.reuse.enable", "true");
 		AnnotationConfigApplicationContext applicationContext = new AnnotationConfigApplicationContext();
 		new TestcontainersLifecycleApplicationContextInitializer().initialize(applicationContext);
 		applicationContext.register(ReusableContainerConfiguration.class);
@@ -90,6 +112,18 @@ class TestcontainersLifecycleApplicationContextInitializerTests {
 		then(container).should(never()).close();
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	void whenReusableContainerButReuseNotEnabledBeanFromConfigurationInvokesStartAndClose() {
+		AnnotationConfigApplicationContext applicationContext = new AnnotationConfigApplicationContext();
+		new TestcontainersLifecycleApplicationContextInitializer().initialize(applicationContext);
+		applicationContext.register(ReusableContainerConfiguration.class);
+		applicationContext.refresh();
+		GenericContainer<?> container = applicationContext.getBean(GenericContainer.class);
+		then(container).should().start();
+		applicationContext.close();
+		then(container).should(times(1)).close();
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	void doesNotInitializeSameContextMoreThanOnce() {
 		AnnotationConfigApplicationContext applicationContext = new AnnotationConfigApplicationContext();