diff --git a/examples/main.tf b/examples/main.tf
index 8d08aea..45420e6 100644
--- a/examples/main.tf
+++ b/examples/main.tf
@@ -26,20 +26,21 @@ resource "packer_image" "image1" {
 
   triggers = {
     packer_version = data.packer_version.version.version
-    files_hash = data.packer_files.files1.files_hash
+    files_hash     = data.packer_files.files1.files_hash
   }
 }
 
 resource "packer_image" "image2" {
   directory = data.packer_files.files2.directory
-  force = true
+  force     = true
   variables = {
     test_var3 = "test 3"
   }
+  keep_environment = true
 
   triggers = {
     packer_version = data.packer_version.version.version
-    files_hash = data.packer_files.files2.files_hash
+    files_hash     = data.packer_files.files2.files_hash
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/packer_interop/const.go b/packer_interop/const.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..355a192
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packer_interop/const.go
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+package packer_interop
+
+const TPPRunPacker = "TPP_RUN_PACKER"
diff --git a/packer_interop/env.go b/packer_interop/env.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..da6c10e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packer_interop/env.go
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+package packer_interop
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+)
+
+func EnvVars(additionalEnvVars map[string]string, passThroughCurrent bool) map[string]string {
+	envVars := map[string]string{}
+	if passThroughCurrent {
+		for _, envVarStr := range os.Environ() {
+			split := strings.SplitN(envVarStr, "=", 2)
+			if len(split) != 2 {
+				continue
+			}
+			envVars[split[0]] = split[1]
+		}
+	}
+	for key, value := range additionalEnvVars {
+		envVars[key] = value
+	}
+	envVars[TPPRunPacker] = "true"
+	return envVars
+}
diff --git a/provider/data_source_packer_version.go b/provider/data_source_packer_version.go
index abdac33..e5ea352 100644
--- a/provider/data_source_packer_version.go
+++ b/provider/data_source_packer_version.go
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"strings"
 
+	"terraform-provider-packer/packer_interop"
+
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform-plugin-framework/diag"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform-plugin-framework/tfsdk"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform-plugin-framework/types"
@@ -42,7 +44,7 @@ func (r dataSourceVersion) Read(ctx context.Context, req tfsdk.ReadDataSourceReq
 	exe, _ := os.Executable()
 	output, err := cmds.RunCommandWithEnvReturnOutput(
 		exe,
-		map[string]string{tppRunPacker: "true"},
+		map[string]string{packer_interop.TPPRunPacker: "true"},
 		"version")
 	if err != nil {
 		resp.Diagnostics.AddError("Failed to run packer", err.Error())
diff --git a/provider/provider.go b/provider/provider.go
index 0db76de..0cd2304 100644
--- a/provider/provider.go
+++ b/provider/provider.go
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"os"
 
+	"terraform-provider-packer/packer_interop"
+
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform-plugin-framework/diag"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform-plugin-framework/tfsdk"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform-plugin-framework/types"
@@ -11,8 +13,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/toowoxx/go-lib-userspace-common/cmds"
 )
 
-const tppRunPacker = "TPP_RUN_PACKER"
-
 func New() tfsdk.Provider {
 	return &provider{}
 }
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ func (p *provider) GetSchema(_ context.Context) (tfsdk.Schema, diag.Diagnostics)
 
 func (p *provider) Configure(ctx context.Context, req tfsdk.ConfigureProviderRequest, resp *tfsdk.ConfigureProviderResponse) {
 	exe, _ := os.Executable()
-	err := cmds.RunCommandWithEnv(exe, map[string]string{tppRunPacker: "true"}, "version")
+	err := cmds.RunCommandWithEnv(exe, map[string]string{packer_interop.TPPRunPacker: "true"}, "version")
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}
diff --git a/provider/resource_packer_image.go b/provider/resource_packer_image.go
index 1a7f573..1a7b712 100644
--- a/provider/resource_packer_image.go
+++ b/provider/resource_packer_image.go
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"os"
 
+	"terraform-provider-packer/packer_interop"
+
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/toowoxx/go-lib-userspace-common/cmds"
 
@@ -21,6 +23,7 @@ type resourceImageType struct {
 	Directory        types.String      `tfsdk:"directory"`
 	File             types.String      `tfsdk:"file"`
 	Environment      map[string]string `tfsdk:"environment"`
+	KeepEnvironment  types.Bool        `tfsdk:"keep_environment"`
 	Triggers         map[string]string `tfsdk:"triggers"`
 	Force            types.Bool        `tfsdk:"force"`
 	BuildUUID        types.String      `tfsdk:"build_uuid"`
@@ -63,6 +66,11 @@ func (r resourceImageType) GetSchema(_ context.Context) (tfsdk.Schema, diag.Diag
 				Type:        types.MapType{ElemType: types.StringType},
 				Optional:    true,
 			},
+			"keep_environment": {
+				Description: "Passes all environment variables of the provider through to Packer",
+				Type:        types.BoolType,
+				Optional:    true,
+			},
 			"triggers": {
 				Description: "Values that, when changed, trigger an update of this resource",
 				Type:        types.MapType{ElemType: types.StringType},
@@ -108,11 +116,7 @@ func (r resourceImage) getFileParam(resourceState *resourceImageType) string {
 }
 
 func (r resourceImage) packerInit(resourceState *resourceImageType) error {
-	envVars := map[string]string{}
-	for key, value := range resourceState.Environment {
-		envVars[key] = value
-	}
-	envVars[tppRunPacker] = "true"
+	envVars := packer_interop.EnvVars(resourceState.Environment, resourceState.KeepEnvironment.Value)
 
 	params := []string{"init"}
 	params = append(params, r.getFileParam(resourceState))
@@ -128,11 +132,7 @@ func (r resourceImage) packerInit(resourceState *resourceImageType) error {
 }
 
 func (r resourceImage) packerBuild(resourceState *resourceImageType) error {
-	envVars := map[string]string{}
-	for key, value := range resourceState.Environment {
-		envVars[key] = value
-	}
-	envVars[tppRunPacker] = "true"
+	envVars := packer_interop.EnvVars(resourceState.Environment, resourceState.KeepEnvironment.Value)
 
 	params := []string{"build"}
 	for key, value := range resourceState.Variables {