diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/operator_env.go b/pkg/yqlib/operator_env.go
index 6f0f938e..868ab94c 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/operator_env.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/operator_env.go
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ func envOperator(_ *dataTreeNavigator, context Context, expressionNode *Expressi
 		node = &CandidateNode{
 			Kind:  ScalarNode,
 			Tag:   "!!str",
-			Value: processEscapeCharacters(rawValue),
+			Value: rawValue,
 		}
 	} else if rawValue == "" {
 		return Context{}, fmt.Errorf("value for env variable '%v' not provided in env()", envName)
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/operator_env_test.go b/pkg/yqlib/operator_env_test.go
index f6cfc439..8d11423b 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/operator_env_test.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/operator_env_test.go
@@ -63,78 +63,6 @@ var envOperatorScenarios = []expressionScenario{
 			"D0, P[], ()::a: \"12\"\n",
 		},
 	},
-	{
-		description:          "strenv with newline escape",
-		skipDoc:              true,
-		environmentVariables: map[string]string{"myenv": "string with a\\n"},
-		expression:           `.a = strenv(myenv)`,
-		expected: []string{
-			"D0, P[], ()::a: |\n    string with a\n",
-		},
-	},
-	{
-		description:          "strenv with tab escape",
-		skipDoc:              true,
-		environmentVariables: map[string]string{"myenv": "string with a\\t"},
-		expression:           `.a = strenv(myenv)`,
-		expected: []string{
-			"D0, P[], ()::a: \"string with a\\t\"\n",
-		},
-	},
-	{
-		description:          "strenv with carriage return escape",
-		skipDoc:              true,
-		environmentVariables: map[string]string{"myenv": "string with a\\r"},
-		expression:           `.a = strenv(myenv)`,
-		expected: []string{
-			"D0, P[], ()::a: \"string with a\\r\"\n",
-		},
-	},
-	{
-		description:          "strenv with form feed escape",
-		skipDoc:              true,
-		environmentVariables: map[string]string{"myenv": "string with a\\f"},
-		expression:           `.a = strenv(myenv)`,
-		expected: []string{
-			"D0, P[], ()::a: \"string with a\\f\"\n",
-		},
-	},
-	{
-		description:          "strenv with vertical tab escape",
-		skipDoc:              true,
-		environmentVariables: map[string]string{"myenv": "string with a\\v"},
-		expression:           `.a = strenv(myenv)`,
-		expected: []string{
-			"D0, P[], ()::a: \"string with a\\v\"\n",
-		},
-	},
-	{
-		description:          "strenv with backspace escape",
-		skipDoc:              true,
-		environmentVariables: map[string]string{"myenv": "string with a\\b"},
-		expression:           `.a = strenv(myenv)`,
-		expected: []string{
-			"D0, P[], ()::a: \"string with a\\b\"\n",
-		},
-	},
-	{
-		description:          "strenv with alert/bell escape",
-		skipDoc:              true,
-		environmentVariables: map[string]string{"myenv": "string with a\\a"},
-		expression:           `.a = strenv(myenv)`,
-		expected: []string{
-			"D0, P[], ()::a: \"string with a\\a\"\n",
-		},
-	},
-	{
-		description:          "strenv with double quote escape",
-		skipDoc:              true,
-		environmentVariables: map[string]string{"myenv": "string with a\\\""},
-		expression:           `.a = strenv(myenv)`,
-		expected: []string{
-			"D0, P[], ()::a: string with a\"\n",
-		},
-	},
 	{
 		description:          "Dynamically update a path from an environment variable",
 		subdescription:       "The env variable can be any valid yq expression.",