diff --git a/home/.bash_profile b/home/.bash_profile
index f724702..c6c4f2a 100644
--- a/home/.bash_profile
+++ b/home/.bash_profile
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@
 #
 # shellcheck disable=SC1090
 
+# ensure bash is set up for its initial sourcing
+export XDG_CONFIG_HOME=${XDG_CONFIG_HOME:-"$HOME/.config"}
+
 # load global sh env vars
 [ -f "$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/sh/env" ] && source "$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/sh/env"
 if [ -d "$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/sh/env.d" ]; then
diff --git a/sh/.config/sh/env b/sh/.config/sh/env
index a1210e3..b2fd712 100644
--- a/sh/.config/sh/env
+++ b/sh/.config/sh/env
@@ -43,4 +43,6 @@ export LANG="en_US.UTF-8"
 export SHELL=${SHELL:-/bin/bash}
 
 # if terminfo for our terminal emulator does not exist fall back to xterm
-[ "$(find /usr/share/terminfo -name "$TERMINAL*" | wc -l)" -eq 0 ] && export TERM=xterm
+if [ "$(find /usr/share/terminfo -name "$TERMINAL*" | wc -l)" -eq 0 ] || [ -z "$TERMINAL" ]; then
+  export TERM=xterm
+fi