diff --git a/terminator b/terminator
index f1370743..6d0181a4 100755
--- a/terminator
+++ b/terminator
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ class TerminatorTerm (gtk.VBox):
     self.add_matches()
 
     env_proxy = os.getenv ('http_proxy')
-    if not env_proxy:
+    if not env_proxy and self.conf.http_proxy:
       os.putenv ('http_proxy', self.conf.http_proxy)
 
     if self.spawn_child () == -1: