diff --git a/python_on_whales/components/compose/cli_wrapper.py b/python_on_whales/components/compose/cli_wrapper.py
index 877c9b19..4e863d67 100644
--- a/python_on_whales/components/compose/cli_wrapper.py
+++ b/python_on_whales/components/compose/cli_wrapper.py
@@ -968,6 +968,7 @@ def up(
         pull: Literal["always", "missing", "never", None] = ...,
         stream_logs: Literal[True] = ...,
         wait_timeout: Optional[int] = ...,
+        dependencies: bool = True,
     ) -> Iterable[Tuple[str, bytes]]: ...
 
     @overload
@@ -993,6 +994,7 @@ def up(
         pull: Literal["always", "missing", "never", None] = ...,
         stream_logs: Literal[False] = ...,
         wait_timeout: Optional[int] = ...,
+        dependencies: bool = True,
     ) -> None: ...
 
     def up(
@@ -1017,6 +1019,7 @@ def up(
         pull: Literal["always", "missing", "never", None] = None,
         stream_logs: bool = False,
         wait_timeout: Optional[int] = None,
+        dependencies: bool = True,
     ):
         """Start the containers.
 
@@ -1062,6 +1065,7 @@ def up(
                 See [the streaming guide](https://gabrieldemarmiesse.github.io/python-on-whales/user_guide/docker_run/#stream-the-output) if you are
                 not familiar with the streaming of logs in Python-on-whales.
             wait_timeout: Maximum duration to wait for the project to be running|healthy
+            dependencies: Also start linked services.
         """
         if quiet and stream_logs:
             raise ValueError(
@@ -1085,6 +1089,7 @@ def up(
         full_cmd.add_flag("--no-start", not start)
         full_cmd.add_flag("--remove-orphans", remove_orphans)
         full_cmd.add_flag("--renew-anon-volumes", renew_anon_volumes)
+        full_cmd.add_flag("--no-deps", not dependencies)
         full_cmd.add_simple_arg("--pull", pull)
 
         if no_attach_services is not None:
diff --git a/tests/python_on_whales/components/test_compose.py b/tests/python_on_whales/components/test_compose.py
index 59bf9d58..ba06918f 100644
--- a/tests/python_on_whales/components/test_compose.py
+++ b/tests/python_on_whales/components/test_compose.py
@@ -190,6 +190,32 @@ def test_docker_compose_up_down():
     assert docker.compose.ps() == []
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "dependencies_value, expected_running_containers", [(True, 2), (False, 1)]
+)
+def test_docker_compose_up_dependencies(
+    dependencies_value, expected_running_containers
+):
+    docker = DockerClient(
+        compose_files=[
+            PROJECT_ROOT / "tests/python_on_whales/components/dummy_compose.yml"
+        ],
+        compose_compatibility=True,
+    )
+
+    try:
+        docker.compose.up(
+            ["busybox-2-electric-boogaloo"],
+            dependencies=dependencies_value,
+            detach=True,
+        )
+        running_containers = docker.compose.ps()
+    finally:
+        docker.compose.down(timeout=1)
+
+    assert len(running_containers) == expected_running_containers
+
+
 def test_docker_compose_up_down_streaming():
     docker = DockerClient(
         compose_files=[