diff --git a/crates/nu-utils/src/default_files/default_env.nu b/crates/nu-utils/src/default_files/default_env.nu
index 66b442ce7a..ae2f1ae719 100644
--- a/crates/nu-utils/src/default_files/default_env.nu
+++ b/crates/nu-utils/src/default_files/default_env.nu
@@ -17,11 +17,6 @@ $env.PROMPT_COMMAND = $env.PROMPT_COMMAND? | default {||
     $path_segment | str replace --all (char path_sep) $"($separator_color)(char path_sep)($path_color)"
 }
 
-$env.PROMPT_INDICATOR = $env.PROMPT_INDICATOR? | default "> "
-$env.PROMPT_INDICATOR_VI_NORMAL = $env.PROMPT_INDICATOR_VI_NORMAL? | default "> "
-$env.PROMPT_INDICATOR_VI_INSERT = $env.PROMPT_INDICATOR_VI_INSERT? | default ": "
-$env.PROMPT_MULTILINE_INDICATOR = $env.PROMPT_MULTILINE_INDICATOR? | default "::: "
-
 $env.PROMPT_COMMAND_RIGHT = $env.PROMPT_COMMAND_RIGHT? | default {|| 
     # create a right prompt in magenta with green separators and am/pm underlined
     let time_segment = ([
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 7d39aef02b..4ebc215531 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -320,9 +320,29 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
         "NU_VERSION".to_string(),
         Value::string(env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION"), Span::unknown()),
     );
-
     // Add SHLVL if interactive
     if engine_state.is_interactive {
+        engine_state.add_env_var("PROMPT_INDICATOR".to_string(), Value::test_string("> "));
+        engine_state.add_env_var(
+            "PROMPT_INDICATOR_VI_NORMAL".to_string(),
+            Value::test_string("> "),
+        );
+        engine_state.add_env_var(
+            "PROMPT_INDICATOR_VI_INSERT".to_string(),
+            Value::test_string(": "),
+        );
+        engine_state.add_env_var(
+            "PROMPT_MULTILINE_INDICATOR".to_string(),
+            Value::test_string("::: "),
+        );
+        engine_state.add_env_var(
+            "TRANSIENT_PROMPT_MULTILINE_INDICATOR".to_string(),
+            Value::test_string(""),
+        );
+        engine_state.add_env_var(
+            "TRANSIENT_PROMPT_COMMAND_RIGHT".to_string(),
+            Value::test_string(""),
+        );
         let mut shlvl = engine_state
             .get_env_var("SHLVL")
             .map(|x| x.as_str().unwrap_or("0").parse::<i64>().unwrap_or(0))