diff --git a/pmg-rs/src/lib.rs b/pmg-rs/src/lib.rs
index 6b7ee4c..4a91632 100644
--- a/pmg-rs/src/lib.rs
+++ b/pmg-rs/src/lib.rs
@@ -14,4 +14,12 @@ mod export {
     pub fn init() {
         common::logger::init("PMG_LOG", "info");
     }
+
+    /// CLI tools should call this very early. This is a workaround causing environment variable
+    /// manipulation to leak instead of crash. Required when calling into rust code that causes
+    /// `setenv` calls, particularly code using the openssl crate.
+    #[export]
+    pub fn use_safe_putenv() {
+        perlmod::ffi::use_safe_putenv(true);
+    }
 }