diff --git a/core/autoload/config.el b/core/autoload/config.el
index 74fb1deb9a6..db2241e1e00 100644
--- a/core/autoload/config.el
+++ b/core/autoload/config.el
@@ -80,8 +80,9 @@ Runs `doom-after-reload-hook' afterwards."
   ;; In case doom/reload is run before incrementally loaded packages are loaded,
   ;; which could cause odd load order issues.
   (mapc #'require (cdr doom-incremental-packages))
-  (doom--if-compile (format "%S sync -e" doom-bin)
-      (let ((doom-reloading-p t))
+  (doom--if-compile (format "%S sync -E" doom-bin)
+      (let ((doom-reloading-p t)
+            doom-env-file)
         (doom-run-hooks 'doom-before-reload-hook)
         (doom-initialize 'force)
         (with-demoted-errors "PRIVATE CONFIG ERROR: %s"
diff --git a/core/core.el b/core/core.el
index c5d076cfeef..466095cf626 100644
--- a/core/core.el
+++ b/core/core.el
@@ -646,8 +646,9 @@ to least)."
     ;; Load shell environment, optionally generated from 'doom env'. No need
     ;; to do so if we're in terminal Emacs, where Emacs correctly inherits
     ;; your shell environment.
-    (if (or (display-graphic-p)
-            (daemonp))
+    (if (and (or (display-graphic-p)
+                 (daemonp))
+             doom-env-file)
         (doom-load-envvars-file doom-env-file 'noerror))
 
     ;; Loads `use-package' and all the helper macros modules (and users) can use