diff --git a/dlls/msvcrt/environ.c b/dlls/msvcrt/environ.c
index 9e358d971f9..063a9254c67 100644
--- a/dlls/msvcrt/environ.c
+++ b/dlls/msvcrt/environ.c
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ static int env_set(char **env, wchar_t **wenv)
             GetLastError() != ERROR_ENVVAR_NOT_FOUND)
         return -1;
 
+    if (env_init(FALSE, TRUE)) return -1;
     *eq = 0;
     idx = env_get_index(*env);
     *eq = '=';
@@ -180,6 +181,8 @@ static int env_set(char **env, wchar_t **wenv)
     }
 
     if (!MSVCRT__wenviron) return 0;
+    if (MSVCRT__wenviron == MSVCRT___winitenv)
+        if (env_init(TRUE, TRUE)) return -1;
     idx = wenv_get_index(*wenv);
     *weq = '=';
     if (!weq[1])
@@ -264,11 +267,6 @@ static int putenv_helper(const char *name, const char *val, const char *eq)
     char *env;
     int r;
 
-    _lock(_ENV_LOCK);
-    r = env_init(FALSE, TRUE);
-    _unlock(_ENV_LOCK);
-    if (r) return -1;
-
     if (eq)
     {
         env = strdup(name);