@@ -319,10 +319,11 @@
 		 (test-name (assoc/default 'test-name cmdinfo))
 		 (runscript (assoc/default 'runscript cmdinfo))
 		 (db-host   (assoc/default 'db-host   cmdinfo))
 		 (run-id    (assoc/default 'run-id    cmdinfo))
 		 (itemdat   (assoc/default 'itemdat   cmdinfo))
+		 (env-ovrd  (assoc/default 'env-ovrd  cmdinfo))
 		 (runname   (assoc/default 'runname   cmdinfo))
 		 (megatest  (assoc/default 'megatest  cmdinfo))
 		 (mt-bindir-path (assoc/default 'mt-bindir-path cmdinfo))
 		 (fullrunscript (conc testpath "/" runscript))
 		 (db        #f))
@@ -344,10 +345,12 @@
 	    (change-directory work-area) 
 	    (let ((runconfigf (conc  *toppath* "/runconfigs.config")))
 	      (if (file-exists? runconfigf)
 		  (setup-env-defaults db runconfigf run-id)
 		  (print "WARNING: You do not have a run config file: " runconfigf)))
+            ;; environment overrides are done *before* the remaining critical envars.
+            (alist->env-vars env-ovrd)
 	    (set-megatest-env-vars db run-id)
 	    (set-item-env-vars itemdat)
             (save-environment-as-files "megatest")
 	    (test-set-meta-info db run-id test-name itemdat)
 	    (test-set-status! db run-id test-name "REMOTEHOSTSTART" "n/a" itemdat (args:get-arg "-m"))