diff --git a/startkde/plasma-session/startup.h b/startkde/plasma-session/startup.h
--- a/startkde/plasma-session/startup.h
+++ b/startkde/plasma-session/startup.h
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@
 private:
     QProcess* m_process;
     const QString m_serviceId;
+    const QProcessEnvironment m_additionalEnv;
 };
 
 class RestoreSessionJob: public KJob
diff --git a/startkde/plasma-session/startup.cpp b/startkde/plasma-session/startup.cpp
--- a/startkde/plasma-session/startup.cpp
+++ b/startkde/plasma-session/startup.cpp
@@ -421,19 +421,21 @@
     : KJob()
     , m_process(new QProcess(this))
     , m_serviceId(serviceId)
+    , m_additionalEnv(additionalEnv)
 {
     m_process->setProgram(process);
     m_process->setArguments(args);
-    auto env = QProcessEnvironment::systemEnvironment();
-    env.insert(additionalEnv);
-    m_process->setProcessEnvironment(env);
 
     auto watcher = new QDBusServiceWatcher(serviceId, QDBusConnection::sessionBus(), QDBusServiceWatcher::WatchForRegistration, this);
     connect(watcher, &QDBusServiceWatcher::serviceRegistered, this, &StartServiceJob::emitResult);
 }
 
 void StartServiceJob::start()
 {
+    auto env = QProcessEnvironment::systemEnvironment();
+    env.insert(m_additionalEnv);
+    m_process->setProcessEnvironment(env);
+
     if (QDBusConnection::sessionBus().interface()->isServiceRegistered(m_serviceId)) {
         qCDebug(PLASMA_SESSION) << m_process << "already running";
         emitResult();