diff --git a/sarracenia/config/__init__.py b/sarracenia/config/__init__.py
index 4581beef9..8fdc53106 100644
--- a/sarracenia/config/__init__.py
+++ b/sarracenia/config/__init__.py
@@ -864,8 +864,9 @@ def __init__(self, parent=None) -> 'Config':
             Config.credentials.read(get_user_config_dir() + os.sep +
                                     "credentials.conf")
         self.directory = None
-
-        self.env = copy.deepcopy(os.environ)
+        
+        # dict is required, deepcopy won't work, see issue #1703
+        self.env = dict(os.environ)
 
         egdir = os.path.dirname(inspect.getfile(sarracenia)) + os.sep + 'examples'