diff --git a/crates/nu-engine/src/eval.rs b/crates/nu-engine/src/eval.rs
index 9b74626a01..2ca15c1922 100644
--- a/crates/nu-engine/src/eval.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-engine/src/eval.rs
@@ -592,8 +592,11 @@ impl Eval for EvalRuntime {
 
                                 // Retrieve the updated environment value.
                                 lhs.upsert_data_at_cell_path(&cell_path.tail, rhs)?;
-                                let value =
-                                    lhs.follow_cell_path(&[cell_path.tail[0].clone()], true)?;
+                                let value = lhs.follow_cell_path(&[{
+                                    let mut pm = cell_path.tail[0].clone();
+                                    pm.make_insensitive();
+                                    pm
+                                }])?;
 
                                 // Reject attempts to set automatic environment variables.
                                 if is_automatic_env_var(&original_key) {
diff --git a/crates/nu-protocol/src/eval_base.rs b/crates/nu-protocol/src/eval_base.rs
index 65c9b5f82b..56cf2f4b8f 100644
--- a/crates/nu-protocol/src/eval_base.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-protocol/src/eval_base.rs
@@ -43,8 +43,16 @@ pub trait Eval {
 
                 // Cell paths are usually case-sensitive, but we give $env
                 // special treatment.
-                let insensitive = cell_path.head.expr == Expr::Var(ENV_VARIABLE_ID);
-                value.follow_cell_path(&cell_path.tail, insensitive).map(Cow::into_owned)
+                let tail = if cell_path.head.expr == Expr::Var(ENV_VARIABLE_ID) {
+                    let mut tail = cell_path.tail.clone();
+                    if let Some(pm) = tail.first_mut() {
+                        pm.make_insensitive();
+                    }
+                    Cow::Owned(tail)
+                } else {
+                    Cow::Borrowed(&cell_path.tail)
+                };
+                value.follow_cell_path(&tail).map(Cow::into_owned)
             }
             Expr::DateTime(dt) => Ok(Value::date(*dt, expr_span)),
             Expr::List(list) => {