diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a607142..2f165b4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -59,6 +59,15 @@ docker compose --profile frontend up -d  # Frontend, rest-api, elasticsearch and
 ```
 Use the same profile for your `down` command.
 
+The Python REST API is also available in a 'light' mode that allows for database interactions
+but does not allow for file uploads/downloads. It has to be started directly (as opposed to
+through a profile):
+```bash
+docker compose up python-rest-api-light -d
+docker compose down
+```
+While it is up, the API is available under `http://localhost:8082`, e.g., `http://localhost:8082/datasets/1`.
+
 
 ## Known issues
 See the Github Issue list for the known issues.
diff --git a/docker-compose.yaml b/docker-compose.yaml
index f2af39d..2ca78ce 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yaml
+++ b/docker-compose.yaml
@@ -85,22 +85,21 @@ services:
     extra_hosts:
       - "localhost=172.28.0.2"
 
-  # This is the new REST API, which will later replace the PHP REST API
-  python-api:
-    profiles: ["all", "rest-api"]
+  # The Python based REST API is set to replace the PHP based REST API
+  # The 'light' profile can be used to test most of the REST API 
+  # (everything except file uploads/downloads), but is 
+  # faster to start and requires fewer resources to run.
+  python-api-light:
+    # if no profile is set below, it starts on all `compose up` invocations,
+    # which leads to port conflict if `python-api` is also started.
+    profiles: ["rest-api-light"]
     image: openml/rest-api:0.0.1-alpha
-    container_name: "openml-python-rest-api"
+    container_name: "openml-python-rest-api-light"
     ports:
       - "8082:8000"  # or localhost:8000/py with nginx
     depends_on:
       database-setup:
         condition: service_completed_successfully
-      php-api:
-        condition: service_healthy  # used for serving arff files
-      minio:
-        condition: service_started  # used for serving parquet files
-      nginx:
-        condition: service_started  # used for routing to MinIO and PHP REST API
     volumes:
       - ./config/python-server/config.toml:/python-api/src/config.toml
     healthcheck:
@@ -110,6 +109,20 @@ services:
       timeout: 3s
       interval: 1m
 
+  python-api:
+    profiles: ["all", "rest-api"]
+    container_name: "openml-python-rest-api"
+    extends: python-api-light
+    depends_on:
+      database-setup:
+        condition: service_completed_successfully
+      php-api:
+        condition: service_healthy  # used for serving arff files
+      minio:
+        condition: service_started  # used for serving parquet files
+      nginx:
+        condition: service_started  # used for routing to MinIO and PHP REST API
+
   email-server:
     profiles: ["all", "frontend"]
     image: foxcpp/maddy:latest
@@ -138,7 +151,7 @@ services:
         condition: service_healthy
 
   minio:
-    profiles: ["all", "minio", "evaluation-engine"]
+    profiles: ["all", "minio", "rest-api", "evaluation-engine"]
     image: openml/test-minio:v0.1.20260204
     container_name: "openml-minio"
     ports: