diff --git a/modules-4.5.2/modulecmd.tcl.in b/modulecmd.tcl.in
index 3abd4ad..cf6cb3b 100644
--- a/modules-4.5.2/modulecmd.tcl.in
+++ b/modulecmd.tcl.in
@@ -10564,8 +10564,17 @@ proc cmdModuleAutoinit {} {
    @VERSIONING@   setenv MODULE_VERSION_STACK @MODULES_RELEASE@@MODULES_BUILD@
    @VERSIONING@}
 
-   # initialize default MODULEPATH and LOADEDMODULES
-   if {![info exists ::env(MODULEPATH)] || $::env(MODULEPATH) eq {}} {
+   # initialize MODULEPATH and LOADEDMODULES if found unset
+   if {![info exists ::env(MODULEPATH)]} {
+      setenv MODULEPATH {}
+   }
+   if {![info exists ::env(LOADEDMODULES)]} {
+      setenv LOADEDMODULES {}
+   }
+
+   # initialize user environment if found undefined (both MODULEPATH and
+   # LOADEDMODULES empty)
+   if {$::env(MODULEPATH) eq {} && $::env(LOADEDMODULES) eq {}} {
       # set modpaths defined in modulespath config file if it exists, use file
       # in etcdir if it exists, dot file in initdir elsewhere
       set modulespath [expr {[file exists @etcdir@/modulespath] ?\
@@ -10580,17 +10589,8 @@ proc cmdModuleAutoinit {} {
          }
       }
 
-      if {![info exists ::env(MODULEPATH)]} {
-         setenv MODULEPATH {}
-      }
-   }
-   if {![info exists ::env(LOADEDMODULES)]} {
-      setenv LOADEDMODULES {}
-   }
-
-   # source initialization modulerc if any and if no env already initialized
-   # use initrc file in etcdir if any, modulerc file in initdir otherwise
-   if {$::env(MODULEPATH) eq {} && $::env(LOADEDMODULES) eq {}} {
+      # source initialization modulerc if any and if no env already initialized
+      # use initrc file in etcdir if any, modulerc file in initdir otherwise
       set initrc [expr {[file exists @etcdir@/initrc] ? {@etcdir@/initrc} :\
          {@initdir@/modulerc}}]
       if {[file exists $initrc]} {