diff --git a/cfg.c b/cfg.c
index ffaa85b5..eb184ce7 100644
--- a/cfg.c
+++ b/cfg.c
@@ -27,10 +27,19 @@
 
 #include "tmux.h"
 
-static char	 *cfg_file;
-int		  cfg_finished;
-static char	**cfg_causes;
-static u_int	  cfg_ncauses;
+static char		 *cfg_file;
+int			  cfg_finished;
+static char		**cfg_causes;
+static u_int		  cfg_ncauses;
+static struct cmdq_item	 *cfg_item;
+
+static enum cmd_retval
+cfg_client_done(__unused struct cmdq_item *item, __unused void *data)
+{
+	if (!cfg_finished)
+		return (CMD_RETURN_WAIT);
+	return (CMD_RETURN_NORMAL);
+}
 
 static enum cmd_retval
 cfg_done(__unused struct cmdq_item *item, __unused void *data)
@@ -42,6 +51,9 @@ cfg_done(__unused struct cmdq_item *item, __unused void *data)
 	if (!RB_EMPTY(&sessions))
 		cfg_show_causes(RB_MIN(sessions, &sessions));
 
+	if (cfg_item != NULL)
+		cfg_item->flags &= ~CMDQ_WAITING;
+
 	status_prompt_load_history();
 
 	return (CMD_RETURN_NORMAL);
@@ -59,12 +71,24 @@ start_cfg(void)
 {
 	const char	*home;
 	int		 quiet = 0;
+	struct client	*c;
 
 	/*
-	 * Note that the configuration files are loaded without a client, so
-	 * NULL is passed into load_cfg() which means that commands run in the
-	 * global queue and item->client is NULL for all commands.
+	 * Configuration files are loaded without a client, so NULL is passed
+	 * into load_cfg() and commands run in the global queue with
+	 * item->client NULL.
+	 *
+	 * However, we must block the initial client (but just the initial
+	 * client) so that its command runs after the configuration is loaded.
+	 * Because start_cfg() is called so early, we can be sure the client's
+	 * command queue is currently empty and our callback will be at the
+	 * front - we need to get in before MSG_COMMAND.
 	 */
+	c = TAILQ_FIRST(&clients);
+	if (c != NULL) {
+		cfg_item = cmdq_get_callback(cfg_client_done, NULL);
+		cmdq_append(c, cfg_item);
+	}
 
 	load_cfg(TMUX_CONF, NULL, NULL, 1);
 
diff --git a/cmd-respawn-pane.c b/cmd-respawn-pane.c
index defdc77e..a1178147 100644
--- a/cmd-respawn-pane.c
+++ b/cmd-respawn-pane.c
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ cmd_respawn_pane_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 	if (envent != NULL)
 		path = envent->value;
 
-	env = environ_for_session(s);
+	env = environ_for_session(s, 0);
 	if (window_pane_spawn(wp, args->argc, args->argv, path, NULL, NULL, env,
 	    s->tio, &cause) != 0) {
 		cmdq_error(item, "respawn pane failed: %s", cause);
diff --git a/cmd-respawn-window.c b/cmd-respawn-window.c
index f9edbec7..48e6a97f 100644
--- a/cmd-respawn-window.c
+++ b/cmd-respawn-window.c
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ cmd_respawn_window_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 	if (envent != NULL)
 		path = envent->value;
 
-	env = environ_for_session(s);
+	env = environ_for_session(s, 0);
 	if (window_pane_spawn(wp, args->argc, args->argv, path, NULL, NULL, env,
 	    s->tio, &cause) != 0) {
 		cmdq_error(item, "respawn window failed: %s", cause);
diff --git a/cmd-split-window.c b/cmd-split-window.c
index af2b5ca4..dcc4d713 100644
--- a/cmd-split-window.c
+++ b/cmd-split-window.c
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ cmd_split_window_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 	if (envent != NULL)
 		path = envent->value;
 
-	env = environ_for_session(s);
+	env = environ_for_session(s, 0);
 	if (window_pane_spawn(new_wp, argc, argv, path, shell, cwd, env,
 	    s->tio, &cause) != 0) {
 		environ_free(env);
diff --git a/environ.c b/environ.c
index 868324ed..d884330e 100644
--- a/environ.c
+++ b/environ.c
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ environ_log(struct environ *env, const char *prefix)
 
 /* Create initial environment for new child. */
 struct environ *
-environ_for_session(struct session *s)
+environ_for_session(struct session *s, int no_TERM)
 {
 	struct environ	*env;
 	const char	*value;
@@ -233,8 +233,10 @@ environ_for_session(struct session *s)
 	if (s != NULL)
 		environ_copy(s->environ, env);
 
-	value = options_get_string(global_options, "default-terminal");
-	environ_set(env, "TERM", "%s", value);
+	if (!no_TERM) {
+		value = options_get_string(global_options, "default-terminal");
+		environ_set(env, "TERM", "%s", value);
+	}
 
 	if (s != NULL)
 		idx = s->id;
diff --git a/job.c b/job.c
index 1ed74e2a..b42a68bc 100644
--- a/job.c
+++ b/job.c
@@ -54,7 +54,12 @@ job_run(const char *cmd, struct session *s, const char *cwd,
 	if (socketpair(AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM, PF_UNSPEC, out) != 0)
 		return (NULL);
 
-	env = environ_for_session(s);
+	/*
+	 * Do not set TERM during .tmux.conf, it is nice to be able to use
+	 * if-shell to decide on default-terminal based on outside TERM.
+	 */
+	env = environ_for_session(s, !cfg_finished);
+
 	switch (pid = fork()) {
 	case -1:
 		environ_free(env);
diff --git a/session.c b/session.c
index b69adeaa..238d531f 100644
--- a/session.c
+++ b/session.c
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ session_new(struct session *s, const char *name, int argc, char **argv,
 		shell = _PATH_BSHELL;
 
 	hlimit = options_get_number(s->options, "history-limit");
-	env = environ_for_session(s);
+	env = environ_for_session(s, 0);
 	w = window_create_spawn(name, argc, argv, path, shell, cwd, env, s->tio,
 	    s->sx, s->sy, hlimit, cause);
 	if (w == NULL) {
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index d5178d76..583a6f8b 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -1616,7 +1616,7 @@ void	environ_unset(struct environ *, const char *);
 void	environ_update(struct options *, struct environ *, struct environ *);
 void	environ_push(struct environ *);
 void	environ_log(struct environ *, const char *);
-struct environ *environ_for_session(struct session *);
+struct environ *environ_for_session(struct session *, int);
 
 /* tty.c */
 void	tty_create_log(void);