diff --git a/www/gitea/files/gitea.in b/www/gitea/files/gitea.in
--- a/www/gitea/files/gitea.in
+++ b/www/gitea/files/gitea.in
@@ -53,7 +53,13 @@
 
 gitea_prestart() {
 	if checkyesno gitea_configcheck_enable; then
-		if su -m ${gitea_user} -c "%%PREFIX%%/sbin/${name} doctor check >/dev/null"; then
+		if /usr/bin/env -i \
+			"GITEA_WORK_DIR=${gitea_shared}" \
+			"GITEA_CUSTOM=${gitea_custom}" \
+			"HOME=${githome}" \
+			"PATH=%%PREFIX%%/bin:${PATH}" \
+			"USER=${gitea_user}" \
+                        su -m ${gitea_user} -c "%%PREFIX%%/sbin/${name} doctor check >/dev/null"; then
 		else
 			echo "cannot start ${name} because of configuration errors. Run" >&2
 			echo "    su -m git -c '${name} doctor check'" >&2