diff --git a/.env b/.env
index beb35b3d..1fa250ae 100644
--- a/.env
+++ b/.env
@@ -1 +1 @@
-# CONFIG_DIRECTORY="CONFIG_FILE_PATH"
\ No newline at end of file
+# TABBY_CONFIG_DIRECTORY="PATH_TO_DIRECTORY"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/lib/config.ts b/app/lib/config.ts
index 150c7d48..e317fd07 100644
--- a/app/lib/config.ts
+++ b/app/lib/config.ts
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ import * as yaml from 'js-yaml'
 import { writeFile } from 'atomically'
 
 
-export const configPath = path.join(process.env.CONFIG_DIRECTORY!, 'config.yaml')
-const legacyConfigPath = path.join(process.env.CONFIG_DIRECTORY!, '../terminus', 'config.yaml')
+export const configPath = path.join(process.env.TABBY_CONFIG_DIRECTORY!, 'config.yaml')
+const legacyConfigPath = path.join(process.env.TABBY_CONFIG_DIRECTORY!, '../terminus', 'config.yaml')
 
 
 export function migrateConfig (): void {
diff --git a/app/lib/index.ts b/app/lib/index.ts
index aa93f335..c98757b2 100644
--- a/app/lib/index.ts
+++ b/app/lib/index.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { app, ipcMain, Menu, dialog } from 'electron'
 // set defaults of environment variables
 import 'dotenv/config'
 process.env.TABBY_PLUGINS ??= ''
-process.env.CONFIG_DIRECTORY ??= app.getPath('userData')
+process.env.TABBY_CONFIG_DIRECTORY ??= app.getPath('userData')
 
 
 import 'v8-compile-cache'