diff --git a/cli/bomtool/main.c b/cli/bomtool/main.c
index 8c1128c..e253b5f 100644
--- a/cli/bomtool/main.c
+++ b/cli/bomtool/main.c
@@ -33,6 +33,14 @@ static size_t maximum_package_count = 0;
 static int maximum_traverse_depth = 2000;
 static FILE *error_msgout = NULL;
 
+static const char *
+environ_lookup_handler(const pkgconf_client_t *client, const char *key)
+{
+	(void) client;
+
+	return getenv(key);
+}
+
 static bool
 error_handler(const char *msg, const pkgconf_client_t *client, void *data)
 {
@@ -285,7 +293,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		}
 	}
 
-	pkgconf_client_init(&pkg_client, error_handler, NULL, personality, NULL);
+	pkgconf_client_init(&pkg_client, error_handler, NULL, personality, NULL, environ_lookup_handler);
 
 	/* we have determined what features we want most likely.  in some cases, we override later. */
 	pkgconf_client_set_flags(&pkg_client, want_client_flags);
diff --git a/cli/main.c b/cli/main.c
index 77c1c8a..9394304 100644
--- a/cli/main.c
+++ b/cli/main.c
@@ -19,6 +19,14 @@
 #include "getopt_long.h"
 #include "core.h"
 
+static const char *
+environ_lookup_handler(const pkgconf_client_t *client, const char *key)
+{
+	(void) client;
+
+	return getenv(key);
+}
+
 static bool
 error_handler(const char *msg, const pkgconf_client_t *client, void *data)
 {
@@ -411,7 +419,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 #endif
 
 	/* now, bring up the client.  settings are preserved since the client is prealloced */
-	pkgconf_client_init(&state.pkg_client, error_handler, &state, state.personality, &state);
+	pkgconf_client_init(&state.pkg_client, error_handler, &state, state.personality, &state, environ_lookup_handler);
 
 #ifndef PKGCONF_LITE
 	if (getenv("PKG_CONFIG_MSVC_SYNTAX") != NULL)
diff --git a/cli/spdxtool/main.c b/cli/spdxtool/main.c
index 004544d..cbaa353 100644
--- a/cli/spdxtool/main.c
+++ b/cli/spdxtool/main.c
@@ -33,6 +33,14 @@ static size_t maximum_package_count = 0;
 // static int maximum_traverse_depth = 2000;
 static FILE *error_msgout = NULL;
 
+static const char *
+environ_lookup_handler(const pkgconf_client_t *client, const char *key)
+{
+	(void) client;
+
+	return getenv(key);
+}
+
 static bool
 error_handler(const char *msg, const pkgconf_client_t *client, void *data)
 {
@@ -263,7 +271,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		}
 	}
 
-	pkgconf_client_init(&pkg_client, error_handler, NULL, personality, NULL);
+	pkgconf_client_init(&pkg_client, error_handler, NULL, personality, NULL, environ_lookup_handler);
 
 	/* we have determined what features we want most likely.  in some cases, we override later. */
 	pkgconf_client_set_flags(&pkg_client, want_client_flags);