diff --git a/studio/backend/core/training/worker.py b/studio/backend/core/training/worker.py
index 84be40d7f1..4b4f3af58f 100644
--- a/studio/backend/core/training/worker.py
+++ b/studio/backend/core/training/worker.py
@@ -259,10 +259,9 @@ def _install_package_wheel_first(
             _gcc_dir = _hipcc_gcc_install_dir()
             if _gcc_dir is not None:
                 _appended = (f"{_existing_flags} --gcc-install-dir={_gcc_dir}").strip()
-                _run_kwargs["env"] = {
-                    **os.environ,
-                    "HIPCC_COMPILE_FLAGS_APPEND": _appended,
-                }
+                _env = _run_kwargs.get("env", os.environ).copy()
+                _env["HIPCC_COMPILE_FLAGS_APPEND"] = _appended
+                _run_kwargs["env"] = _env
                 logger.info(
                     "HIP source build for %s: appended "
                     "--gcc-install-dir=%s to HIPCC_COMPILE_FLAGS_APPEND",