diff --git a/direnvrc b/direnvrc
index b8fbf94..aa70126 100644
--- a/direnvrc
+++ b/direnvrc
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ _nix_import_env() {
 
   local old_path=${PATH:-}
   local old_term=${TERM:-__UNSET__}
+  local old_shell=${SHELL:-__UNSET__}
   local old_tmpdir=${TMPDIR:-__UNSET__}
   local old_ssl_cert_file=${SSL_CERT_FILE:-__UNSET__}
   local old_nix_ssl_cert_file=${NIX_SSL_CERT_FILE:-__UNSET__}
@@ -30,8 +31,9 @@ _nix_import_env() {
   fi
 
   export PATH=$PATH${old_path:+":"}$old_path
-  _nix_export_or_unset TEMPDIR "$old_tmpdir"
   _nix_export_or_unset TERM "$old_term"
+  _nix_export_or_unset SHELL "$old_shell"
+  _nix_export_or_unset TEMPDIR "$old_tmpdir"
 
   # misleading since we are in an impure shell now
   export IN_NIX_SHELL=impure