diff --git a/worker/rsync_provider.go b/worker/rsync_provider.go
index 96c5316..a9fdfa1 100644
--- a/worker/rsync_provider.go
+++ b/worker/rsync_provider.go
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ func newRsyncProvider(c rsyncConfig) (*rsyncProvider, error) {
 	if c.rsyncCmd == "" {
 		provider.rsyncCmd = "rsync"
 	}
+	if c.rsyncEnv == nil {
+		c.rsyncEnv = map[string]string{}
+	}
 	if c.username != "" {
 		c.rsyncEnv["USER"] = c.username
 	}
diff --git a/worker/two_stage_rsync_provider.go b/worker/two_stage_rsync_provider.go
index bbade4b..48fcedc 100644
--- a/worker/two_stage_rsync_provider.go
+++ b/worker/two_stage_rsync_provider.go
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@ func newTwoStageRsyncProvider(c twoStageRsyncConfig) (*twoStageRsyncProvider, er
 		},
 	}
 
+	if c.rsyncEnv == nil {
+		c.rsyncEnv = map[string]string{}
+	}
 	if c.username != "" {
 		c.rsyncEnv["USER"] = c.username
 	}