diff --git a/cmd/nvedit.c b/cmd/nvedit.c
index d456d2f..1955dee 100644
--- a/cmd/nvedit.c
+++ b/cmd/nvedit.c
@@ -807,7 +807,7 @@ static int do_env_default(cmd_tbl_t *cmdtp, int flag,
 	}
 	if (!all && (argc > 0)) {
 		/* Reset individual variables */
-		set_default_vars(argc, argv);
+		set_default_vars(argc, argv, env_flag);
 		return 0;
 	}
 
diff --git a/env/common.c b/env/common.c
index dc8a14f..6cf5edd 100644
--- a/env/common.c
+++ b/env/common.c
@@ -91,15 +91,16 @@ void set_default_env(const char *s)
 
 
 /* [re]set individual variables to their value in the default environment */
-int set_default_vars(int nvars, char * const vars[])
+int set_default_vars(int nvars, char * const vars[], int flags)
 {
 	/*
 	 * Special use-case: import from default environment
 	 * (and use \0 as a separator)
 	 */
+	flags |= H_NOCLEAR | H_INTERACTIVE;
 	return himport_r(&env_htab, (const char *)default_environment,
 				sizeof(default_environment), '\0',
-				H_NOCLEAR | H_INTERACTIVE, 0, nvars, vars);
+				flags, 0, nvars, vars);
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/include/environment.h b/include/environment.h
index 70b7eda..2fe1f3e 100644
--- a/include/environment.h
+++ b/include/environment.h
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ char *env_get_default(const char *name);
 void set_default_env(const char *s);
 
 /* [re]set individual variables to their value in the default environment */
-int set_default_vars(int nvars, char * const vars[]);
+int set_default_vars(int nvars, char * const vars[], int flags);
 
 /* Import from binary representation into hash table */
 int env_import(const char *buf, int check);