diff --git a/soda/cmd/root.go b/soda/cmd/root.go
index 0af3e289..57672f11 100644
--- a/soda/cmd/root.go
+++ b/soda/cmd/root.go
@@ -19,7 +19,10 @@ var RootCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Short: "A tasty treat for all your database needs",
 	PersistentPreRun: func(c *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		fmt.Printf("%s\n\n", Version)
-		env = defaults.String(os.Getenv("GO_ENV"), env)
+		// CLI flag has priority
+		if !c.PersistentFlags().Changed("env") {
+			env = defaults.String(os.Getenv("GO_ENV"), env)
+		}
 		setConfigLocation()
 	},
 	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
diff --git a/soda/cmd/root_integration_test.go b/soda/cmd/root_integration_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3a6b40c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/soda/cmd/root_integration_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func Test_RootCmd_NoArg(t *testing.T) {
+	oldEnv := os.Getenv("GO_ENV")
+	defer os.Setenv("GO_ENV", oldEnv)
+
+	// Fallback on default env
+	r := require.New(t)
+	c := RootCmd
+	c.SetArgs([]string{})
+	err := c.Execute()
+	r.NoError(err)
+	r.Equal("development", env)
+
+	// Override with GO_ENV
+	c.SetArgs([]string{})
+	os.Setenv("GO_ENV", "test")
+	err = c.Execute()
+	r.NoError(err)
+	r.Equal("test", env)
+
+	// CLI flag priority
+	c.SetArgs([]string{
+		"--env",
+		"production",
+	})
+	os.Setenv("GO_ENV", "test")
+	err = c.Execute()
+	r.NoError(err)
+	r.Equal("production", env)
+}