diff --git a/common/env_callback.c b/common/env_callback.c
index 34bb58e..d03fa03 100644
--- a/common/env_callback.c
+++ b/common/env_callback.c
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+static int first_call = 1;
+static const char *callback_list;
+
 /*
  * Look for a possible callback for a newly added variable
  * This is called specifically when the variable did not exist in the hash
@@ -43,11 +46,15 @@
 void env_callback_init(ENTRY *var_entry)
 {
 	const char *var_name = var_entry->key;
-	const char *callback_list = getenv(ENV_CALLBACK_VAR);
 	char callback_name[256] = "";
 	struct env_clbk_tbl *clbkp;
 	int ret = 1;
 
+	if (first_call) {
+		callback_list = getenv(ENV_CALLBACK_VAR);
+		first_call = 0;
+	}
+
 	/* look in the ".callbacks" var for a reference to this variable */
 	if (callback_list != NULL)
 		ret = env_attr_lookup(callback_list, var_name, callback_name);
diff --git a/common/env_flags.c b/common/env_flags.c
index e9b72e6..985f92e 100644
--- a/common/env_flags.c
+++ b/common/env_flags.c
@@ -395,6 +395,9 @@
 	return binflags;
 }
 
+static int first_call = 1;
+static const char *flags_list;
+
 /*
  * Look for possible flags for a newly added variable
  * This is called specifically when the variable did not exist in the hash
@@ -403,10 +406,13 @@
 void env_flags_init(ENTRY *var_entry)
 {
 	const char *var_name = var_entry->key;
-	const char *flags_list = getenv(ENV_FLAGS_VAR);
 	char flags[ENV_FLAGS_ATTR_MAX_LEN + 1] = "";
 	int ret = 1;
 
+	if (first_call) {
+		flags_list = getenv(ENV_FLAGS_VAR);
+		first_call = 0;
+	}
 	/* look in the ".flags" and static for a reference to this variable */
 	ret = env_flags_lookup(flags_list, var_name, flags);