diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/terminal/browser/media/shellIntegration-env.zsh b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/terminal/browser/media/shellIntegration-env.zsh
index f89c5b4a33763..12bbe2dbd450e 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/terminal/browser/media/shellIntegration-env.zsh
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/terminal/browser/media/shellIntegration-env.zsh
@@ -6,7 +6,10 @@ if [[ -f $USER_ZDOTDIR/.zshenv ]]; then
 	VSCODE_ZDOTDIR=$ZDOTDIR
 	ZDOTDIR=$USER_ZDOTDIR
 
-	. $USER_ZDOTDIR/.zshenv
+	# prevent recursion
+	if [[ $USER_ZDOTDIR -ne $VSCODE_ZDOTDIR ]]; then
+		. $USER_ZDOTDIR/.zshenv
+	fi
 
 	USER_ZDOTDIR=$ZDOTDIR
 	ZDOTDIR=$VSCODE_ZDOTDIR
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/terminal/browser/media/shellIntegration-rc.zsh b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/terminal/browser/media/shellIntegration-rc.zsh
index 90612eb545b74..6cd65d39b8ca7 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/contrib/terminal/browser/media/shellIntegration-rc.zsh
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/contrib/terminal/browser/media/shellIntegration-rc.zsh
@@ -127,6 +127,6 @@ __vsc_preexec() {
 add-zsh-hook precmd __vsc_precmd
 add-zsh-hook preexec __vsc_preexec
 
-if [[ $options[login] = off ]]; then
+if [[ $options[login] = off && $USER_ZDOTDIR -ne $VSCODE_ZDOTDIR ]]; then
 	ZDOTDIR=$USER_ZDOTDIR
 fi