diff --git a/src/main/php/websocket/Environment.class.php b/src/main/php/websocket/Environment.class.php
index 432d7d4..46fafa7 100755
--- a/src/main/php/websocket/Environment.class.php
+++ b/src/main/php/websocket/Environment.class.php
@@ -71,4 +71,31 @@ public function arguments() { return $this->arguments; }
 
   /** @return web.Logging */
   public function logging() { return $this->logging; }
+
+  /**
+   * Returns a given environment variable
+   *
+   * @param  string $name
+   * @return ?string
+   */
+  public function variable($name) {
+    return false === ($env= getenv($name)) ? null : $env;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Pass a given environment variable and value. Pass NULL in value to
+   * remove this environment variable.
+   *
+   * @param  string $name
+   * @param  ?string $value
+   * @return self
+   */
+  public function export($name, $value) {
+    if (null === $value) {
+      putenv($name);
+    } else {
+      putenv($name.'='.$value);
+    }
+    return $this;
+  }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/test/php/websocket/unittest/EnvironmentTest.class.php b/src/test/php/websocket/unittest/EnvironmentTest.class.php
index 745f9c2..e414b4f 100755
--- a/src/test/php/websocket/unittest/EnvironmentTest.class.php
+++ b/src/test/php/websocket/unittest/EnvironmentTest.class.php
@@ -59,4 +59,21 @@ public function properties_from_directory() {
   public function arguments($arguments) {
     Assert::equals($arguments, (new Environment('dev', [], $arguments))->arguments());
   }
+
+  #[Test]
+  public function env_variable() {
+    putenv('TEST=true');
+    Assert::equals('true', (new Environment('dev'))->variable('TEST'));
+  }
+
+  #[Test]
+  public function unset_variable() {
+    putenv('TEST');
+    Assert::null((new Environment('dev'))->variable('TEST'));
+  }
+
+  #[Test]
+  public function export_variable() {
+    Assert::equals('true', (new Environment('dev'))->export('TEST', 'true')->variable('TEST'));
+  }
 }
\ No newline at end of file