diff --git a/core/testcontainers/core/config.py b/core/testcontainers/core/config.py
index e8a330c1..0f960b02 100644
--- a/core/testcontainers/core/config.py
+++ b/core/testcontainers/core/config.py
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
 RYUK_DOCKER_SOCKET: str = environ.get("TESTCONTAINERS_DOCKER_SOCKET_OVERRIDE", "/var/run/docker.sock")
 RYUK_RECONNECTION_TIMEOUT: str = environ.get("RYUK_RECONNECTION_TIMEOUT", "10s")
 TC_HOST_OVERRIDE: Optional[str] = environ.get("TC_HOST", environ.get("TESTCONTAINERS_HOST_OVERRIDE"))
-REUSE_ENABLED: bool = environ.get("TESTCONTAINERS_REUSE_ENABLED", "false") == "true"
 
 TC_FILE = ".testcontainers.properties"
 TC_GLOBAL = Path.home() / TC_FILE
@@ -58,7 +57,6 @@ class TestcontainersConfiguration:
     tc_properties: dict[str, str] = field(default_factory=read_tc_properties)
     _docker_auth_config: Optional[str] = field(default_factory=lambda: environ.get("DOCKER_AUTH_CONFIG"))
     tc_host_override: Optional[str] = TC_HOST_OVERRIDE
-    reuse_enabled: bool = REUSE_ENABLED
     """
     https://github.com/testcontainers/testcontainers-go/blob/dd76d1e39c654433a3d80429690d07abcec04424/docker.go#L644
     if os env TC_HOST is set, use it
@@ -87,8 +85,8 @@ def tc_properties_tc_host(self) -> Union[str, None]:
         return self.tc_properties.get("tc.host")
 
     @property
-    def tc_properties_testcontainers_reuse_enabled(self) -> bool:
-        enabled = self.tc_properties.get("testcontainers.reuse.enabled")
+    def tc_properties_testcontainers_reuse_enable(self) -> bool:
+        enabled = self.tc_properties.get("testcontainers.reuse.enable")
         return enabled == "true"
 
     @property
diff --git a/core/testcontainers/core/container.py b/core/testcontainers/core/container.py
index 83539ba7..caa4c61e 100644
--- a/core/testcontainers/core/container.py
+++ b/core/testcontainers/core/container.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import contextlib
 import hashlib
+import logging
 from platform import system
 from socket import socket
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Optional
@@ -50,7 +51,7 @@ def __init__(
         self._name = None
         self._network: Optional[Network] = None
         self._network_aliases: Optional[list[str]] = None
-        self._reuse: bool = kwargs.pop("reuse", False)
+        self._reuse: bool = False
         self._kwargs = kwargs
 
     def with_env(self, key: str, value: str) -> Self:
@@ -106,9 +107,16 @@ def start(self) -> Self:
         )
         hash_ = hashlib.sha256(bytes(str(args), encoding="utf-8")).hexdigest()
 
-        # TODO: warn user if self._reuse=True but reuse_enabled=False
-        reuse_enabled = c.reuse_enabled or c.tc_properties_testcontainers_reuse_enabled
-        if self._reuse and reuse_enabled:
+        # TODO: check also if ryuk is disabled
+        if self._reuse and not c.tc_properties_testcontainers_reuse_enable:
+            logging.warning(
+                "Reuse was requested (`with_reuse`) but the environment does not "
+                + "support the reuse of containers. To enable container reuse, add "
+                + "the property 'testcontainers.reuse.enable=true' to a file at "
+                + "~/.testcontainers.properties (you may need to create it)."
+            )
+
+        if self._reuse and c.tc_properties_testcontainers_reuse_enable:
             docker_client = self.get_docker_client()
             container = docker_client.find_container_by_hash(hash_)
             if container:
@@ -143,7 +151,7 @@ def _start(self, hash_):
 
     def stop(self, force=True, delete_volume=True) -> None:
         if self._container:
-            if self._reuse and c.reuse_enabled:
+            if self._reuse and c.tc_properties_testcontainers_reuse_enable:
                 self._container.stop()
             else:
                 self._container.remove(force=force, v=delete_volume)
diff --git a/core/tests/test_reusable_containers.py b/core/tests/test_reusable_containers.py
index a0e07570..a8ab8a9d 100644
--- a/core/tests/test_reusable_containers.py
+++ b/core/tests/test_reusable_containers.py
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 from time import sleep
 
 from docker.models.containers import Container
-from docker import DockerClient as DockerDockerClient
 
 from testcontainers.core.config import testcontainers_config
 from testcontainers.core.container import DockerContainer
@@ -31,7 +30,8 @@ def test_docker_container_with_reuse_reuse_disabled():
 def test_docker_container_with_reuse_reuse_enabled_ryuk_enabled(monkeypatch):
     # Make sure Ryuk cleanup is not active from previous test runs
     Reaper.delete_instance()
-    monkeypatch.setattr(testcontainers_config, "reuse_enabled", True)
+    tc_properties_mock = testcontainers_config.tc_properties | {"testcontainers.reuse.enable": "true"}
+    monkeypatch.setattr(testcontainers_config, "tc_properties", tc_properties_mock)
     monkeypatch.setattr(testcontainers_config, "ryuk_reconnection_timeout", "0.1s")
 
     with DockerContainer("hello-world").with_reuse() as container:
@@ -52,7 +52,8 @@ def test_docker_container_with_reuse_reuse_enabled_ryuk_enabled(monkeypatch):
 def test_docker_container_with_reuse_reuse_enabled_ryuk_disabled(monkeypatch):
     # Make sure Ryuk cleanup is not active from previous test runs
     Reaper.delete_instance()
-    monkeypatch.setattr(testcontainers_config, "reuse_enabled", True)
+    tc_properties_mock = testcontainers_config.tc_properties | {"testcontainers.reuse.enable": "true"}
+    monkeypatch.setattr(testcontainers_config, "tc_properties", tc_properties_mock)
     monkeypatch.setattr(testcontainers_config, "ryuk_disabled", True)
     with DockerContainer("hello-world").with_reuse() as container:
         assert container._reuse == True