diff --git a/src/env-inl.h b/src/env-inl.h
index 6d7520dab0acc8..526ddefd447ce8 100644
--- a/src/env-inl.h
+++ b/src/env-inl.h
@@ -305,6 +305,10 @@ inline Environment* Environment::GetCurrent(
       info.Data().template As<v8::External>()->Value());
 }
 
+inline Environment* Environment::GetThreadLocalEnv() {
+  return static_cast<Environment*>(uv_key_get(&thread_local_env));
+}
+
 inline Environment::Environment(IsolateData* isolate_data,
                                 v8::Local<v8::Context> context)
     : isolate_(context->GetIsolate()),
diff --git a/src/env.cc b/src/env.cc
index 960cc4d5f88a69..7d91c243aefcca 100644
--- a/src/env.cc
+++ b/src/env.cc
@@ -75,6 +75,11 @@ v8::CpuProfiler* IsolateData::GetCpuProfiler() {
   return cpu_profiler_;
 }
 
+
+void InitThreadLocalOnce() {
+  CHECK_EQ(0, uv_key_create(&Environment::thread_local_env));
+}
+
 void Environment::Start(int argc,
                         const char* const* argv,
                         int exec_argc,
@@ -142,6 +147,10 @@ void Environment::Start(int argc,
 
   SetupProcessObject(this, argc, argv, exec_argc, exec_argv);
   LoadAsyncWrapperInfo(this);
+
+  static uv_once_t init_once = UV_ONCE_INIT;
+  uv_once(&init_once, InitThreadLocalOnce);
+  uv_key_set(&thread_local_env, this);
 }
 
 void Environment::CleanupHandles() {
@@ -373,4 +382,6 @@ void Environment::AsyncHooks::grow_async_ids_stack() {
       async_ids_stack_.GetJSArray()).FromJust();
 }
 
+uv_key_t Environment::thread_local_env = {};
+
 }  // namespace node
diff --git a/src/env.h b/src/env.h
index 8e0cf61a4a57ab..05fee43e9bd391 100644
--- a/src/env.h
+++ b/src/env.h
@@ -563,6 +563,9 @@ class Environment {
   static inline Environment* GetCurrent(
       const v8::PropertyCallbackInfo<T>& info);
 
+  static uv_key_t thread_local_env;
+  static inline Environment* GetThreadLocalEnv();
+
   inline Environment(IsolateData* isolate_data, v8::Local<v8::Context> context);
   inline ~Environment();
 
diff --git a/src/node.cc b/src/node.cc
index 737f589eaad01c..5f6c7f266306b8 100644
--- a/src/node.cc
+++ b/src/node.cc
@@ -4646,11 +4646,8 @@ uv_loop_t* GetCurrentEventLoop(v8::Isolate* isolate) {
 }
 
 
-static uv_key_t thread_local_env;
-
-
 void AtExit(void (*cb)(void* arg), void* arg) {
-  auto env = static_cast<Environment*>(uv_key_get(&thread_local_env));
+  auto env = Environment::GetThreadLocalEnv();
   AtExit(env, cb, arg);
 }
 
@@ -4781,8 +4778,6 @@ inline int Start(Isolate* isolate, IsolateData* isolate_data,
   Local<Context> context = NewContext(isolate);
   Context::Scope context_scope(context);
   Environment env(isolate_data, context);
-  CHECK_EQ(0, uv_key_create(&thread_local_env));
-  uv_key_set(&thread_local_env, &env);
   env.Start(argc, argv, exec_argc, exec_argv, v8_is_profiling);
 
   const char* path = argc > 1 ? argv[1] : nullptr;
@@ -4832,7 +4827,6 @@ inline int Start(Isolate* isolate, IsolateData* isolate_data,
 
   const int exit_code = EmitExit(&env);
   RunAtExit(&env);
-  uv_key_delete(&thread_local_env);
 
   v8_platform.DrainVMTasks(isolate);
   v8_platform.CancelVMTasks(isolate);
diff --git a/test/cctest/test_environment.cc b/test/cctest/test_environment.cc
index 4575d3b65ae318..19641ef3ac5cd0 100644
--- a/test/cctest/test_environment.cc
+++ b/test/cctest/test_environment.cc
@@ -39,6 +39,16 @@ TEST_F(EnvironmentTest, AtExitWithEnvironment) {
   EXPECT_TRUE(called_cb_1);
 }
 
+TEST_F(EnvironmentTest, AtExitWithoutEnvironment) {
+  const v8::HandleScope handle_scope(isolate_);
+  const Argv argv;
+  Env env {handle_scope, argv};
+
+  AtExit(at_exit_callback1);  // No Environment is passed to AtExit.
+  RunAtExit(*env);
+  EXPECT_TRUE(called_cb_1);
+}
+
 TEST_F(EnvironmentTest, AtExitWithArgument) {
   const v8::HandleScope handle_scope(isolate_);
   const Argv argv;