diff --git a/crates/nu-utils/src/default_files/default_env.nu b/crates/nu-utils/src/default_files/default_env.nu
index cb85e519ba..f4c3f562ff 100644
--- a/crates/nu-utils/src/default_files/default_env.nu
+++ b/crates/nu-utils/src/default_files/default_env.nu
@@ -47,11 +47,6 @@ $env.ENV_CONVERSIONS = {
     }
 }
 
-$env.NU_LIB_DIRS = $env.NU_LIB_DIRS? | default [
-    ($nu.default-config-dir | path join 'scripts') # add <nushell-config-dir>/scripts
-    ($nu.data-dir | path join 'completions') # default home for nushell completions
-]
-
 $env.NU_PLUGIN_DIRS = $env.NU_PLUGIN_DIRS | default [
     ($nu.default-config-dir | path join 'plugins') # add <nushell-config-dir>/plugins
 ]
diff --git a/crates/nu-utils/src/default_files/sample_env.nu b/crates/nu-utils/src/default_files/sample_env.nu
index 23dc925ccd..f44b8e1986 100644
--- a/crates/nu-utils/src/default_files/sample_env.nu
+++ b/crates/nu-utils/src/default_files/sample_env.nu
@@ -99,17 +99,17 @@ $env.ENV_CONVERSIONS = $env.ENV_CONVERSIONS | merge {
 
 # NU_LIB_DIRS
 # -----------
-# Directories in this environment variable are searched by the
+# Directories in this constant are searched by the
 # `use` and `source` commands.
 #
 # By default, the `scripts` subdirectory of the default configuration
 # directory is included:
-$env.NU_LIB_DIRS = [
+const NU_LIB_DIRS = [
     ($nu.default-config-dir | path join 'scripts') # add <nushell-config-dir>/scripts
     ($nu.data-dir | path join 'completions') # default home for nushell completions
 ]
-# You can replace (override) or append to this list:
-$env.NU_LIB_DIRS ++= ($nu.default-config-dir | path join 'modules')
+# You can replace (override) or append to this list by shadowing the constant
+const NU_LIB_DIRS = $NU_LIB_DIRS ++ [($nu.default-config-dir | path join 'modules')]
 
 # NU_PLUGIN_DIRS
 # --------------
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index bef8d07caf..7898988844 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ use nu_lsp::LanguageServer;
 use nu_path::canonicalize_with;
 use nu_protocol::{
     engine::EngineState, report_shell_error, ByteStream, Config, IntoValue, PipelineData,
-    ShellError, Span, Spanned, Value,
+    ShellError, Span, Spanned, Type, Value,
 };
 use nu_std::load_standard_library;
 use nu_utils::perf;
@@ -147,13 +147,25 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
 
     let mut default_nu_lib_dirs_path = nushell_config_path.clone();
     default_nu_lib_dirs_path.push("scripts");
-    engine_state.add_env_var(
-        "NU_LIB_DIRS".to_string(),
+    // env.NU_LIB_DIRS to be replaced by constant (below) - Eventual deprecation
+    // but an empty list for now to allow older code to work
+    engine_state.add_env_var("NU_LIB_DIRS".to_string(), Value::test_list(vec![]));
+
+    let mut working_set = nu_protocol::engine::StateWorkingSet::new(&engine_state);
+    let var_id = working_set.add_variable(
+        b"$NU_LIB_DIRS".into(),
+        Span::unknown(),
+        Type::List(Box::new(Type::String)),
+        false,
+    );
+    working_set.set_variable_const_val(
+        var_id,
         Value::test_list(vec![
             Value::test_string(default_nu_lib_dirs_path.to_string_lossy()),
             Value::test_string(default_nushell_completions_path.to_string_lossy()),
         ]),
     );
+    engine_state.merge_delta(working_set.render())?;
 
     let mut default_nu_plugin_dirs_path = nushell_config_path;
     default_nu_plugin_dirs_path.push("plugins");
@@ -273,7 +285,15 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
             .map(|x| Value::string(x.trim().to_string(), span))
             .collect();
 
-        engine_state.add_env_var("NU_LIB_DIRS".into(), Value::list(vals, span));
+        let mut working_set = nu_protocol::engine::StateWorkingSet::new(&engine_state);
+        let var_id = working_set.add_variable(
+            b"$NU_LIB_DIRS".into(),
+            span,
+            Type::List(Box::new(Type::String)),
+            false,
+        );
+        working_set.set_variable_const_val(var_id, Value::list(vals, span));
+        engine_state.merge_delta(working_set.render())?;
     }
     perf!("NU_LIB_DIRS setup", start_time, use_color);
 
diff --git a/tests/repl/test_env.rs b/tests/repl/test_env.rs
index 7963f7580b..f0a2070c30 100644
--- a/tests/repl/test_env.rs
+++ b/tests/repl/test_env.rs
@@ -17,8 +17,18 @@ fn shorthand_env_3() -> TestResult {
 }
 
 #[test]
-fn default_nu_lib_dirs_type() {
+fn default_nu_lib_dirs_env_type() {
+    // Previously, this was a list<string>
+    // While we are transitioning to const NU_LIB_DIRS
+    // the env version will be empty, and thus a
+    // list<any>
     let actual = nu!("$env.NU_LIB_DIRS | describe");
+    assert_eq!(actual.out, "list<any>");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn default_nu_lib_dirs_type() {
+    let actual = nu!("$NU_LIB_DIRS | describe");
     assert_eq!(actual.out, "list<string>");
 }