diff --git a/shell/hush.c b/shell/hush.c
index c4b1248..4c8814a 100644
--- a/shell/hush.c
+++ b/shell/hush.c
@@ -2397,6 +2397,12 @@
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static void FAST_FUNC set_local_var_from_halves(const char *name, const char *val)
+{
+	char *var = xasprintf("%s=%s", name, val);
+	set_local_var(var, /*flag:*/ 0);
+}
+
 /* Used at startup and after each cd */
 static void set_pwd_var(unsigned flag)
 {
@@ -2443,15 +2449,6 @@
 }
 #endif
 
-#if BASH_HOSTNAME_VAR || ENABLE_FEATURE_SH_MATH || ENABLE_HUSH_READ || ENABLE_HUSH_GETOPTS \
- || (ENABLE_HUSH_INTERACTIVE && ENABLE_FEATURE_EDITING_FANCY_PROMPT)
-static void FAST_FUNC set_local_var_from_halves(const char *name, const char *val)
-{
-	char *var = xasprintf("%s=%s", name, val);
-	set_local_var(var, /*flag:*/ 0);
-}
-#endif
-
 
 /*
  * Helpers for "var1=val1 var2=val2 cmd" feature
@@ -9854,6 +9851,10 @@
 		uname(&uts);
 		set_local_var_from_halves("HOSTNAME", uts.nodename);
 	}
+#endif
+	/* IFS is not inherited from the parent environment */
+	set_local_var_from_halves("IFS", defifs);
+
 	/* bash also exports SHLVL and _,
 	 * and sets (but doesn't export) the following variables:
 	 * BASH=/bin/bash
@@ -9884,10 +9885,8 @@
 	 * TERM=dumb
 	 * OPTERR=1
 	 * OPTIND=1
-	 * IFS=$' \t\n'
 	 * PS4='+ '
 	 */
-#endif
 
 #if ENABLE_HUSH_LINENO_VAR
 	if (ENABLE_HUSH_LINENO_VAR) {