diff --git a/pkg/apply/processor/create.go b/pkg/apply/processor/create.go
index 8df76c797cb..dcf4d03657a 100644
--- a/pkg/apply/processor/create.go
+++ b/pkg/apply/processor/create.go
@@ -97,9 +97,11 @@ func (c *CreateProcessor) preProcess(cluster *v2.Cluster) error {
 	if err := MountClusterImages(c.Buildah, cluster, false); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	// env in cluster.spec will be merged into every mounts object
+	env := maps.FromSlice(cluster.Spec.Env)
 	// extra env must been set at the very first
 	for i := range cluster.Status.Mounts {
-		cluster.Status.Mounts[i].Env = maps.Merge(cluster.Status.Mounts[i].Env, c.ExtraEnvs)
+		cluster.Status.Mounts[i].Env = maps.Merge(cluster.Status.Mounts[i].Env, env, c.ExtraEnvs)
 	}
 
 	rt, err := factory.New(cluster, c.ClusterFile.GetRuntimeConfig())