diff --git a/pkgs/applications/editors/emacs/site-start.el b/pkgs/applications/editors/emacs/site-start.el
index 2f02d6d1a86d0a..86cad1132f641c 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/editors/emacs/site-start.el
+++ b/pkgs/applications/editors/emacs/site-start.el
@@ -22,6 +22,17 @@ least specific (the system profile)"
                              (nix--profile-paths)))))
   (setq load-path (append paths load-path)))
 
+;;; Remove wrapper site-lisp from EMACSLOADPATH so it's not propagated
+;;; to any other Emacsen that might be started as subprocesses.
+(let ((wrapper-site-lisp (getenv "emacsWithPackages_siteLisp"))
+      (env-load-path (getenv "EMACSLOADPATH")))
+  (when wrapper-site-lisp
+    (setenv "emacsWithPackages_siteLisp" nil))
+  (when (and wrapper-site-lisp env-load-path)
+    (let* ((env-list (split-string env-load-path ":"))
+           (new-env-list (delete wrapper-site-lisp env-list)))
+      (setenv "EMACSLOADPATH" (when new-env-list
+                                (mapconcat 'identity new-env-list ":"))))))
 
 ;;; Make `woman' find the man pages
 (defvar woman-manpath)
diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/emacs/wrapper.sh b/pkgs/build-support/emacs/wrapper.sh
index 85657ac5619ac9..96c9a8a60ea405 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/emacs/wrapper.sh
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/emacs/wrapper.sh
@@ -22,5 +22,6 @@ else
 fi
 
 export EMACSLOADPATH="${newLoadPath[*]}"
+export emacsWithPackages_siteLisp=@wrapperSiteLisp@
 
 exec @prog@ "$@"