diff --git a/server/container_create.go b/server/container_create.go
index a59bca63..0f581c00 100644
--- a/server/container_create.go
+++ b/server/container_create.go
@@ -1115,30 +1115,10 @@ func (s *Server) createSandboxContainer(ctx context.Context, containerID string,
 	}
 	specgen.SetProcessArgs(processArgs)
 
-	// Add environment variables from CRI and image config
-	envs := containerConfig.GetEnvs()
-	if envs != nil {
-		for _, item := range envs {
-			key := item.Key
-			value := item.Value
-			if key == "" {
-				continue
-			}
-			specgen.AddProcessEnv(key, value)
-		}
-	}
-	if containerImageConfig != nil {
-		for _, item := range containerImageConfig.Config.Env {
-			parts := strings.SplitN(item, "=", 2)
-			if len(parts) != 2 {
-				return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid env from image: %s", item)
-			}
-
-			if parts[0] == "" {
-				continue
-			}
-			specgen.AddProcessEnv(parts[0], parts[1])
-		}
+	envs := mergeEnvs(containerImageConfig, containerConfig.GetEnvs())
+	for _, e := range envs {
+		parts := strings.SplitN(e, "=", 2)
+		specgen.AddProcessEnv(parts[0], parts[1])
 	}
 
 	// Set working directory
diff --git a/server/utils.go b/server/utils.go
index 2a15ab42..66c57757 100644
--- a/server/utils.go
+++ b/server/utils.go
@@ -10,8 +10,10 @@ import (
 	"github.com/cri-o/ocicni/pkg/ocicni"
 	"github.com/kubernetes-incubator/cri-o/libkpod/sandbox"
 	"github.com/kubernetes-incubator/cri-o/server/metrics"
+	"github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go/v1"
 	"github.com/opencontainers/runtime-tools/validate"
 	"github.com/syndtr/gocapability/capability"
+	pb "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/apis/cri/v1alpha1/runtime"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -210,3 +212,44 @@ func validateLabels(labels map[string]string) error {
 	}
 	return nil
 }
+
+func mergeEnvs(imageConfig *v1.Image, kubeEnvs []*pb.KeyValue) []string {
+	envs := []string{}
+	if kubeEnvs == nil && imageConfig != nil {
+		envs = imageConfig.Config.Env
+	} else {
+		for _, item := range kubeEnvs {
+			if item.GetKey() == "" {
+				continue
+			}
+			envs = append(envs, item.GetKey()+"="+item.GetValue())
+		}
+		if imageConfig != nil {
+			for _, imageEnv := range imageConfig.Config.Env {
+				var found bool
+				parts := strings.SplitN(imageEnv, "=", 2)
+				if len(parts) != 2 {
+					continue
+				}
+				imageEnvKey := parts[0]
+				if imageEnvKey == "" {
+					continue
+				}
+				for _, kubeEnv := range envs {
+					kubeEnvKey := strings.SplitN(kubeEnv, "=", 2)[0]
+					if kubeEnvKey == "" {
+						continue
+					}
+					if imageEnvKey == kubeEnvKey {
+						found = true
+						break
+					}
+				}
+				if !found {
+					envs = append(envs, imageEnv)
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return envs
+}
diff --git a/server/utils_test.go b/server/utils_test.go
index b68f0f81..f943c2ea 100644
--- a/server/utils_test.go
+++ b/server/utils_test.go
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ import (
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/specs-go/v1"
+	pb "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/kubelet/apis/cri/v1alpha1/runtime"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -108,3 +111,33 @@ func TestSysctlsFromPodAnnotations(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func TestMergeEnvs(t *testing.T) {
+	configImage := &v1.Image{
+		Config: v1.ImageConfig{
+			Env: []string{"VAR1=1", "VAR2=2"},
+		},
+	}
+
+	configKube := []*pb.KeyValue{
+		{
+			Key:   "VAR2",
+			Value: "3",
+		},
+		{
+			Key:   "VAR3",
+			Value: "3",
+		},
+	}
+
+	mergedEnvs := mergeEnvs(configImage, configKube)
+
+	if len(mergedEnvs) != 3 {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected 3 env var, VAR1=1, VAR2=3 and VAR3=3, found %d", len(mergedEnvs))
+	}
+	for _, env := range mergedEnvs {
+		if env != "VAR1=1" && env != "VAR2=3" && env != "VAR3=3" {
+			t.Fatalf("Expected VAR1=1 or VAR2=3 or VAR3=3, found %s", env)
+		}
+	}
+}