diff --git a/kiwi/defaults.py b/kiwi/defaults.py
index fc7607e476e..274c20db9fa 100644
--- a/kiwi/defaults.py
+++ b/kiwi/defaults.py
@@ -96,6 +96,9 @@
 PLATFORM_MACHINE = platform.machine()
 EFI_FAT_IMAGE_SIZE = 20
 
+# optional package manager environment variables
+PACKAGE_MANAGER_ENV_VARS = '/.kiwi.package_manager.env'
+
 log = logging.getLogger('kiwi')
 
 
diff --git a/kiwi/exceptions.py b/kiwi/exceptions.py
index 63f8e85fdf9..7f91736d355 100644
--- a/kiwi/exceptions.py
+++ b/kiwi/exceptions.py
@@ -444,6 +444,13 @@ class KiwiOSReleaseImportError(KiwiError):
     """
 
 
+class KiwiEnvImportError(KiwiError):
+    """
+    Exception raised if extending os.environ with another
+    env file caused an issue
+    """
+
+
 class KiwiPackageManagerSetupError(KiwiError):
     """
     Exception raised if an attempt was made to create a package
diff --git a/kiwi/repository/apt.py b/kiwi/repository/apt.py
index 529f9d00a40..54896e64cc2 100644
--- a/kiwi/repository/apt.py
+++ b/kiwi/repository/apt.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 from typing import List, Dict
 
 # project
+import kiwi.defaults as defaults
 from kiwi.utils.temporary import (
     Temporary, TmpT
 )
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@
 from kiwi.repository.base import RepositoryBase
 from kiwi.path import Path
 from kiwi.command import Command
+from kiwi.utils.toenv import ToEnv
 
 log = logging.getLogger('kiwi')
 
@@ -306,6 +308,7 @@ def _add_components(self, components: str) -> None:
     def _create_apt_get_runtime_environment(self) -> Dict:
         for apt_get_dir in list(self.shared_apt_get_dir.values()):
             Path.create(apt_get_dir)
+        ToEnv(self.root_dir, defaults.PACKAGE_MANAGER_ENV_VARS)
         return dict(
             os.environ, LANG='C', DEBIAN_FRONTEND='noninteractive'
         )
diff --git a/kiwi/repository/dnf4.py b/kiwi/repository/dnf4.py
index 5136ccaff4f..a3cf44dd883 100644
--- a/kiwi/repository/dnf4.py
+++ b/kiwi/repository/dnf4.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 from typing import List, Dict
 
 # project
+import kiwi.defaults as defaults
 from kiwi.utils.temporary import (
     Temporary, TmpT
 )
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@
 from kiwi.repository.base import RepositoryBase
 from kiwi.path import Path
 from kiwi.utils.rpm_database import RpmDataBase
+from kiwi.utils.toenv import ToEnv
 
 
 class RepositoryDnf4(RepositoryBase):
@@ -315,6 +317,7 @@ def cleanup_unused_repos(self) -> None:
     def _create_dnf_runtime_environment(self) -> Dict:
         for dnf_dir in list(self.shared_dnf_dir.values()):
             Path.create(dnf_dir)
+        ToEnv(self.root_dir, defaults.PACKAGE_MANAGER_ENV_VARS)
         return dict(
             os.environ, LANG='C'
         )
diff --git a/kiwi/repository/dnf5.py b/kiwi/repository/dnf5.py
index 45b8cef3db1..d49e6b2cfaa 100644
--- a/kiwi/repository/dnf5.py
+++ b/kiwi/repository/dnf5.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 from typing import List, Dict
 
 # project
+import kiwi.defaults as defaults
 from kiwi.utils.temporary import (
     Temporary, TmpT
 )
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@
 from kiwi.repository.base import RepositoryBase
 from kiwi.path import Path
 from kiwi.utils.rpm_database import RpmDataBase
+from kiwi.utils.toenv import ToEnv
 
 
 class RepositoryDnf5(RepositoryBase):
@@ -315,6 +317,7 @@ def cleanup_unused_repos(self) -> None:
     def _create_dnf_runtime_environment(self) -> Dict:
         for dnf_dir in list(self.shared_dnf_dir.values()):
             Path.create(dnf_dir)
+        ToEnv(self.root_dir, defaults.PACKAGE_MANAGER_ENV_VARS)
         return dict(
             os.environ, LANG='C'
         )
diff --git a/kiwi/repository/pacman.py b/kiwi/repository/pacman.py
index 60946ab757d..9059bff5435 100644
--- a/kiwi/repository/pacman.py
+++ b/kiwi/repository/pacman.py
@@ -22,12 +22,14 @@
 )
 
 # project
+import kiwi.defaults as defaults
 from kiwi.utils.temporary import (
     Temporary, TmpT
 )
 from kiwi.repository.base import RepositoryBase
 from kiwi.path import Path
 from kiwi.command import Command
+from kiwi.utils.toenv import ToEnv
 
 
 class RepositoryPacman(RepositoryBase):
@@ -90,6 +92,7 @@ def runtime_config(self) -> Dict:
         """
         pacman runtime configuration and environment
         """
+        ToEnv(self.root_dir, defaults.PACKAGE_MANAGER_ENV_VARS)
         return {
             'pacman_args': self.pacman_args,
             'command_env': os.environ
diff --git a/kiwi/repository/zypper.py b/kiwi/repository/zypper.py
index 4fc4a117f5e..2bedc3de647 100644
--- a/kiwi/repository/zypper.py
+++ b/kiwi/repository/zypper.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 from typing import List, Dict
 
 # project
+import kiwi.defaults as defaults
 from kiwi.utils.temporary import (
     Temporary, TmpT
 )
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@
 from kiwi.system.uri import Uri
 from kiwi.path import Path
 from kiwi.utils.rpm_database import RpmDataBase
+from kiwi.utils.toenv import ToEnv
 
 
 class RepositoryZypper(RepositoryBase):
@@ -427,6 +429,7 @@ def cleanup_unused_repos(self) -> None:
     def _create_zypper_runtime_environment(self) -> Dict:
         for zypper_dir in list(self.shared_zypper_dir.values()):
             Path.create(zypper_dir)
+        ToEnv(self.root_dir, defaults.PACKAGE_MANAGER_ENV_VARS)
         return dict(
             os.environ,
             LANG='C',
diff --git a/kiwi/utils/toenv.py b/kiwi/utils/toenv.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..af8c0c4de36
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kiwi/utils/toenv.py
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2024 SUSE Software Solutions Germany GmbH.  All rights reserved.
+#
+# This file is part of kiwi.
+#
+# kiwi is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# kiwi is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with kiwi.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>
+#
+import csv
+import os
+from io import TextIOWrapper
+from typing import Iterable
+
+# project
+from kiwi.exceptions import KiwiEnvImportError
+
+
+class ToEnv:
+    """
+    **Read env file and merge with os.environ**
+    """
+    def __init__(self, root_dir: str, envfile: str):
+        self.data = {}
+        env_file = f'{root_dir}/{envfile}'
+        if os.path.isfile(env_file):
+            try:
+                with open(env_file) as osdata:
+                    reader = csv.reader(ToEnv._rip(osdata), delimiter='=')
+                    self.data = dict(reader)
+            except Exception as issue:
+                raise KiwiEnvImportError(
+                    f'Import of {envfile} failed with {issue}'
+                )
+            if self.data:
+                os.environ.update(self.data)
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _is_comment(line: str) -> bool:
+        return line.startswith('#')
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _is_whitespace(line: str) -> bool:
+        return line.isspace()
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _rip(csvfile: TextIOWrapper) -> Iterable[str]:
+        for row in csvfile:
+            if not ToEnv._is_comment(row) \
+               and not ToEnv._is_whitespace(row):
+                yield row
diff --git a/test/data/some.env b/test/data/some.env
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..87e24d4ecef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/data/some.env
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+ZYPP_MODALIAS_SYSFS=""
diff --git a/test/data/some_broken.env b/test/data/some_broken.env
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..63fc8131d56
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/data/some_broken.env
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+xxxx
diff --git a/test/unit/utils/toenv_test.py b/test/unit/utils/toenv_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..db6dbf1a57e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unit/utils/toenv_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+from pytest import raises
+import os
+
+from kiwi.utils.toenv import ToEnv
+from kiwi.exceptions import KiwiEnvImportError
+
+
+class TestToEnv(object):
+    def setup(self):
+        ToEnv('../data', 'some.env')
+        assert os.environ['ZYPP_MODALIAS_SYSFS'] == ''
+
+    def setup_method(self, cls):
+        self.setup()
+
+    def test_setup_raises(self):
+        with raises(KiwiEnvImportError):
+            ToEnv('../data', 'some_broken.env')