diff --git a/mesonbuild/backend/backends.py b/mesonbuild/backend/backends.py
index cfae28babb37..b664300f4006 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/backend/backends.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/backend/backends.py
@@ -627,7 +627,7 @@ def as_meson_exe_cmdline(self, exe: T.Union[str, mesonlib.File, build.BuildTarge
         # It's also overridden for a few conditions that can't be handled
         # inside a command line
 
-        can_use_env = not force_serialize
+        can_use_env = env.can_use_env and not force_serialize
         force_serialize = force_serialize or bool(reasons)
 
         if capture:
diff --git a/mesonbuild/utils/core.py b/mesonbuild/utils/core.py
index 92f9d2c70d40..a87f77acc14f 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/utils/core.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/utils/core.py
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ def __init__(self, values: T.Optional[EnvInitValueType] = None,
         # The set of all env vars we have operations for. Only used for self.has_name()
         self.varnames: T.Set[str] = set()
         self.unset_vars: T.Set[str] = set()
+        self.can_use_env = True
 
         if values:
             init_func = getattr(self, init_method)
@@ -95,7 +96,9 @@ def merge(self, other: EnvironmentVariables) -> None:
             self.envvars.append((method, name, values, separator))
             if name in self.unset_vars:
                 self.unset_vars.remove(name)
-        self.unset_vars.update(other.unset_vars)
+        if other.unset_vars:
+            self.can_use_env = False
+            self.unset_vars.update(other.unset_vars)
 
     def set(self, name: str, values: T.List[str], separator: str = os.pathsep) -> None:
         if name in self.unset_vars:
@@ -104,17 +107,20 @@ def set(self, name: str, values: T.List[str], separator: str = os.pathsep) -> No
         self.envvars.append((self._set, name, values, separator))
 
     def unset(self, name: str) -> None:
+        self.can_use_env = False
         if name in self.varnames:
             raise MesonException(f'You cannot unset the {name!r} variable because it is already set')
         self.unset_vars.add(name)
 
     def append(self, name: str, values: T.List[str], separator: str = os.pathsep) -> None:
+        self.can_use_env = False
         if name in self.unset_vars:
             raise MesonException(f'You cannot append to unset variable {name!r}')
         self.varnames.add(name)
         self.envvars.append((self._append, name, values, separator))
 
     def prepend(self, name: str, values: T.List[str], separator: str = os.pathsep) -> None:
+        self.can_use_env = False
         if name in self.unset_vars:
             raise MesonException(f'You cannot prepend to unset variable {name!r}')
         self.varnames.add(name)