diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 5e2fb9e5bcd..cadc8cd9aec 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 - *(gui)* Background terminals and more ([#2303](https://github.com/atuinsh/atuin/issues/2303))
 - *(gui)* Clean up home page, fix a few bugs ([#2304](https://github.com/atuinsh/atuin/issues/2304))
 - *(history)* Filter out various environment variables containing potential secrets ([#2174](https://github.com/atuinsh/atuin/issues/2174))
+- *(init)* Allow splitting environment variable loading from remainder of setup
 - *(tui)* Configurable prefix character ([#2157](https://github.com/atuinsh/atuin/issues/2157))
 - *(tui)* Customizable Themes ([#2236](https://github.com/atuinsh/atuin/issues/2236))
 - *(tui)* Fixed preview height option ([#2286](https://github.com/atuinsh/atuin/issues/2286))
diff --git a/crates/atuin/src/command/client/init.rs b/crates/atuin/src/command/client/init.rs
index 8238a69bcf7..014f8aa0296 100644
--- a/crates/atuin/src/command/client/init.rs
+++ b/crates/atuin/src/command/client/init.rs
@@ -21,6 +21,14 @@ pub struct Cmd {
     /// Disable the binding of the Up Arrow key to atuin
     #[clap(long)]
     disable_up_arrow: bool,
+
+    /// Only import environment variables (useful for `~/.zsh_env` or `~/.bash_env`)
+    #[clap(long)]
+    only_env: bool,
+
+    /// Skip importing environment variables (useful if already imported)
+    #[clap(long)]
+    skip_env: bool,
 }
 
 #[derive(Clone, Copy, ValueEnum, Debug)]
@@ -122,6 +130,8 @@ $env.config = (
                     var_store,
                     self.disable_up_arrow,
                     self.disable_ctrl_r,
+                    self.only_env,
+                    self.skip_env,
                 )
                 .await?;
             }
@@ -131,6 +141,8 @@ $env.config = (
                     var_store,
                     self.disable_up_arrow,
                     self.disable_ctrl_r,
+                    self.only_env,
+                    self.skip_env,
                 )
                 .await?;
             }
@@ -140,6 +152,8 @@ $env.config = (
                     var_store,
                     self.disable_up_arrow,
                     self.disable_ctrl_r,
+                    self.only_env,
+                    self.skip_env,
                 )
                 .await?;
             }
@@ -150,6 +164,8 @@ $env.config = (
                     var_store,
                     self.disable_up_arrow,
                     self.disable_ctrl_r,
+                    self.only_env,
+                    self.skip_env,
                 )
                 .await?;
             }
diff --git a/crates/atuin/src/command/client/init/bash.rs b/crates/atuin/src/command/client/init/bash.rs
index 27871bee58f..fbef4b162bb 100644
--- a/crates/atuin/src/command/client/init/bash.rs
+++ b/crates/atuin/src/command/client/init/bash.rs
@@ -20,14 +20,20 @@ pub async fn init(
     vars: VarStore,
     disable_up_arrow: bool,
     disable_ctrl_r: bool,
+    only_env: bool,
+    skip_env: bool,
 ) -> Result<()> {
-    init_static(disable_up_arrow, disable_ctrl_r);
+    if !only_env {
+        init_static(disable_up_arrow, disable_ctrl_r);
 
-    let aliases = atuin_dotfiles::shell::bash::alias_config(&aliases).await;
-    let vars = atuin_dotfiles::shell::bash::var_config(&vars).await;
+        let aliases = atuin_dotfiles::shell::bash::alias_config(&aliases).await;
+        println!("{aliases}");
+    }
 
-    println!("{aliases}");
-    println!("{vars}");
+    if !skip_env {
+        let vars = atuin_dotfiles::shell::bash::var_config(&vars).await;
+        println!("{vars}");
+    }
 
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/crates/atuin/src/command/client/init/fish.rs b/crates/atuin/src/command/client/init/fish.rs
index fe58dbed4a4..590a989ea54 100644
--- a/crates/atuin/src/command/client/init/fish.rs
+++ b/crates/atuin/src/command/client/init/fish.rs
@@ -39,14 +39,20 @@ pub async fn init(
     vars: VarStore,
     disable_up_arrow: bool,
     disable_ctrl_r: bool,
+    only_env: bool,
+    skip_env: bool,
 ) -> Result<()> {
-    init_static(disable_up_arrow, disable_ctrl_r);
+    if !only_env {
+        init_static(disable_up_arrow, disable_ctrl_r);
 
-    let aliases = atuin_dotfiles::shell::fish::alias_config(&aliases).await;
-    let vars = atuin_dotfiles::shell::fish::var_config(&vars).await;
+        let aliases = atuin_dotfiles::shell::fish::alias_config(&aliases).await;
+        println!("{aliases}");
+    }
 
-    println!("{aliases}");
-    println!("{vars}");
+    if !skip_env {
+        let vars = atuin_dotfiles::shell::fish::var_config(&vars).await;
+        println!("{vars}");
+    }
 
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/crates/atuin/src/command/client/init/xonsh.rs b/crates/atuin/src/command/client/init/xonsh.rs
index 8febcc92eb2..7c1603c3fd8 100644
--- a/crates/atuin/src/command/client/init/xonsh.rs
+++ b/crates/atuin/src/command/client/init/xonsh.rs
@@ -25,14 +25,20 @@ pub async fn init(
     vars: VarStore,
     disable_up_arrow: bool,
     disable_ctrl_r: bool,
+    only_env: bool,
+    skip_env: bool,
 ) -> Result<()> {
-    init_static(disable_up_arrow, disable_ctrl_r);
+    if !only_env {
+        init_static(disable_up_arrow, disable_ctrl_r);
 
-    let aliases = atuin_dotfiles::shell::xonsh::alias_config(&aliases).await;
-    let vars = atuin_dotfiles::shell::xonsh::var_config(&vars).await;
+        let aliases = atuin_dotfiles::shell::xonsh::alias_config(&aliases).await;
+        println!("{aliases}");
+    }
 
-    println!("{aliases}");
-    println!("{vars}");
+    if !skip_env {
+        let vars = atuin_dotfiles::shell::xonsh::var_config(&vars).await;
+        println!("{vars}");
+    }
 
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/crates/atuin/src/command/client/init/zsh.rs b/crates/atuin/src/command/client/init/zsh.rs
index 1b5b3b7721e..e3019f5da7f 100644
--- a/crates/atuin/src/command/client/init/zsh.rs
+++ b/crates/atuin/src/command/client/init/zsh.rs
@@ -33,14 +33,20 @@ pub async fn init(
     vars: VarStore,
     disable_up_arrow: bool,
     disable_ctrl_r: bool,
+    only_env: bool,
+    skip_env: bool,
 ) -> Result<()> {
-    init_static(disable_up_arrow, disable_ctrl_r);
+    if !only_env {
+        init_static(disable_up_arrow, disable_ctrl_r);
 
-    let aliases = atuin_dotfiles::shell::zsh::alias_config(&aliases).await;
-    let vars = atuin_dotfiles::shell::zsh::var_config(&vars).await;
+        let aliases = atuin_dotfiles::shell::zsh::alias_config(&aliases).await;
+        println!("{aliases}");
+    }
 
-    println!("{aliases}");
-    println!("{vars}");
+    if !skip_env {
+        let vars = atuin_dotfiles::shell::zsh::var_config(&vars).await;
+        println!("{vars}");
+    }
 
     Ok(())
 }