diff --git a/packages/env/CHANGELOG.md b/packages/env/CHANGELOG.md
index d30d34dcb9179c..96a21849baa18d 100644
--- a/packages/env/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/packages/env/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 ### New Features
 
 -   Add a `WP_ENV_MARIADB_VERSION` environment variable to choose the MariaDB version used by the database container ([#83751](https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/83751)).
+-   Add a `WP_ENV_PHP_VERSION` environment variable to choose the PHP version used by the WordPress and WP-CLI containers. It defaults to PHP 7.4, the highest version WordPress 5.5 supports, instead of the `wordpress` and `wordpress:cli` images' default.
 
 ### Enhancements
 
diff --git a/packages/env/README.md b/packages/env/README.md
index bf44274f2064a8..b6dee81eee4bb3 100644
--- a/packages/env/README.md
+++ b/packages/env/README.md
@@ -300,6 +300,8 @@ _Note: the port number environment variables (`WP_ENV_PORT` and `WP_ENV_TESTS_PO
 
 _Note: the MariaDB version can be chosen with the `WP_ENV_MARIADB_VERSION` environment variable, such as `WP_ENV_MARIADB_VERSION=10.5`. It defaults to `latest`. MariaDB cannot start on a database written by a newer version. When switching to a lower version, run `wp-env destroy` first. It removes the environment's Docker containers, volumes, and networks, and its local files, not only the database, so everything is recreated on the next start. With a version older than 11.4, `wp db` commands in the `cli` and `tests-cli` containers fail, and `wp-env clean` leaves the database as it is: the MariaDB client in the `wordpress:cli` image requires TLS, and MariaDB servers before 11.4 do not offer it. `wp-env start` and WordPress itself are not affected. To start over with an empty database, run `wp-env destroy`._
 
+_Note: the PHP version used by the WordPress and WP-CLI containers can be chosen with the `WP_ENV_PHP_VERSION` environment variable, such as `WP_ENV_PHP_VERSION=7.3`, which uses the `wordpress:php7.3` and `wordpress:cli-php7.3` images. It defaults to `7.4`, the highest PHP version WordPress 5.5 supports. It does not change the `phpunit` service, which uses `LOCAL_PHP`._
+
 Several types of strings can be passed into the `core`, `plugins`, `themes`, and `mappings` fields.
 
 | Type              | Format                        | Example(s)                                               |
diff --git a/packages/env/lib/build-docker-compose-config.js b/packages/env/lib/build-docker-compose-config.js
index 52d4cc3b612569..c4a46f92421fee 100644
--- a/packages/env/lib/build-docker-compose-config.js
+++ b/packages/env/lib/build-docker-compose-config.js
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ module.exports = function buildDockerComposeConfig( config ) {
 						condition: 'service_healthy',
 					},
 				},
-				image: 'wordpress',
+				image: 'wordpress:php${WP_ENV_PHP_VERSION:-7.4}',
 				ports: [ developmentPorts ],
 				environment: {
 					WORDPRESS_DB_NAME: 'wordpress',
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ module.exports = function buildDockerComposeConfig( config ) {
 						condition: 'service_healthy',
 					},
 				},
-				image: 'wordpress',
+				image: 'wordpress:php${WP_ENV_PHP_VERSION:-7.4}',
 				ports: [ testsPorts ],
 				environment: {
 					WORDPRESS_DB_NAME: 'tests-wordpress',
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ module.exports = function buildDockerComposeConfig( config ) {
 			},
 			cli: {
 				depends_on: [ 'wordpress' ],
-				image: 'wordpress:cli',
+				image: 'wordpress:cli-php${WP_ENV_PHP_VERSION:-7.4}',
 				volumes: developmentMounts,
 				user: cliUser,
 				environment: {
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ module.exports = function buildDockerComposeConfig( config ) {
 			},
 			'tests-cli': {
 				depends_on: [ 'tests-wordpress' ],
-				image: 'wordpress:cli',
+				image: 'wordpress:cli-php${WP_ENV_PHP_VERSION:-7.4}',
 				volumes: testsMounts,
 				user: cliUser,
 				environment: {
diff --git a/packages/env/test/build-docker-compose-config.js b/packages/env/test/build-docker-compose-config.js
index 1173bc6ab5bccc..2d85ab4ee271a6 100644
--- a/packages/env/test/build-docker-compose-config.js
+++ b/packages/env/test/build-docker-compose-config.js
@@ -90,6 +90,21 @@ describe( 'buildDockerComposeConfig', () => {
 		);
 	} );
 
+	it( 'should let Docker Compose choose the PHP version from WP_ENV_PHP_VERSION', () => {
+		const { services } = buildDockerComposeConfig( CONFIG );
+
+		for ( const service of [ 'wordpress', 'tests-wordpress' ] ) {
+			expect( services[ service ].image ).toBe(
+				'wordpress:php${WP_ENV_PHP_VERSION:-7.4}'
+			);
+		}
+		for ( const service of [ 'cli', 'tests-cli' ] ) {
+			expect( services[ service ].image ).toBe(
+				'wordpress:cli-php${WP_ENV_PHP_VERSION:-7.4}'
+			);
+		}
+	} );
+
 	it( 'should create a separate database for each environment', () => {
 		const { services } = buildDockerComposeConfig( CONFIG );