diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/editors/panes/envVarProperties.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/editors/panes/envVarProperties.js
index 10425f18a..fb1d89b3f 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/editors/panes/envVarProperties.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/editors/panes/envVarProperties.js
@@ -56,8 +56,12 @@
                     });
                 }
                 if (!isSameObj(old_env, new_env)) {
-                    node.env = new_env;
                     editState.changes.env = node.env;
+                    if (new_env.length === 0) {
+                        delete node.env;
+                    } else {
+                        node.env = new_env;
+                    }
                     editState.changed = true;
                 }
             }