diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/system/exec.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/system/exec.rs
index acf845f8f4..e988d18960 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/system/exec.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/system/exec.rs
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ fn exec(
     let cwd = current_dir(engine_state, stack)?;
     let mut command = external_command.spawn_simple_command(&cwd.to_string_lossy())?;
     command.current_dir(cwd);
+    command.envs(&external_command.env_vars);
 
     let err = command.exec(); // this replaces our process, should not return
 
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/system/run_external.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/system/run_external.rs
index 68c4299667..1de0513884 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/system/run_external.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/system/run_external.rs
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ impl ExternalCommand {
         }
     }
 
-    fn create_process(
+    pub fn create_process(
         &self,
         input: &PipelineData,
         use_cmd: bool,