diff --git a/modules/programs/zsh.nix b/modules/programs/zsh.nix
index 6cd880309..2d81698b6 100644
--- a/modules/programs/zsh.nix
+++ b/modules/programs/zsh.nix
@@ -442,6 +442,19 @@ in
       '';
     })
 
+    {
+      home.file."${relToDotDir ".zshenv"}".text = ''
+        # Environment variables
+        . "${config.home.profileDirectory}/etc/profile.d/hm-session-vars.sh"
+
+        # Only source this once
+        if [[ -z "$__HM_ZSH_SESS_VARS_SOURCED" ]]; then
+          export __HM_ZSH_SESS_VARS_SOURCED=1
+          ${envVarsStr}
+        fi
+      '';
+    }
+
     {
       home.packages = with pkgs; [ zsh ]
         ++ optional cfg.enableCompletion nix-zsh-completions
@@ -491,10 +504,6 @@ in
           "source ${pkgs.zsh-syntax-highlighting}/share/zsh-syntax-highlighting/zsh-syntax-highlighting.zsh"
         }
 
-        # Environment variables
-        . "${config.home.profileDirectory}/etc/profile.d/hm-session-vars.sh"
-        ${envVarsStr}
-
         ${optionalString cfg.oh-my-zsh.enable ''
             # oh-my-zsh extra settings for plugins
             ${cfg.oh-my-zsh.extraConfig}
diff --git a/tests/modules/programs/zsh/session-variables.nix b/tests/modules/programs/zsh/session-variables.nix
index 638b41c9f..f6f795f79 100644
--- a/tests/modules/programs/zsh/session-variables.nix
+++ b/tests/modules/programs/zsh/session-variables.nix
@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@ with lib;
     test.stubs.zsh = { };
 
     nmt.script = ''
-      assertFileExists home-files/.zshrc
-      assertFileRegex home-files/.zshrc 'export V1="v1"'
-      assertFileRegex home-files/.zshrc 'export V2="v2-v1"'
+      assertFileExists home-files/.zshenv
+      assertFileRegex home-files/.zshenv 'export V1="v1"'
+      assertFileRegex home-files/.zshenv 'export V2="v2-v1"'
     '';
   };
 }