diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index e76a757fb..57f31ae40 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ impl Build {
             warnings_into_errors: false,
             env_cache: Arc::new(Mutex::new(HashMap::new())),
             apple_sdk_root_cache: Arc::new(Mutex::new(HashMap::new())),
-            emit_rerun_if_env_changed: false,
+            emit_rerun_if_env_changed: true,
         }
     }
 
@@ -899,7 +899,7 @@ impl Build {
     ///  - `rustc-link-search=native=`*target folder*
     ///  - When target is MSVC, the ATL-MFC libs are added via `rustc-link-search=native=`
     ///  - When C++ is enabled, the C++ stdlib is added via `rustc-link-lib`
-    ///  - If `emit_rerun_if_env_changed` is `true`, `rerun-if-env-changed=`*env*
+    ///  - If `emit_rerun_if_env_changed` is not `false`, `rerun-if-env-changed=`*env*
     ///
     pub fn cargo_metadata(&mut self, cargo_metadata: bool) -> &mut Build {
         self.cargo_metadata = cargo_metadata;
@@ -945,7 +945,7 @@ impl Build {
     ///
     /// This has no effect if the `cargo_metadata` option is `false`.
     ///
-    /// This option defaults to `false`.
+    /// This option defaults to `true`.
     pub fn emit_rerun_if_env_changed(&mut self, emit_rerun_if_env_changed: bool) -> &mut Build {
         self.emit_rerun_if_env_changed = emit_rerun_if_env_changed;
         self
@@ -2854,11 +2854,25 @@ impl Build {
     }
 
     fn getenv(&self, v: &str) -> Option<String> {
+        // Returns true for environment variables cargo sets for build scripts:
+        // https://doc.rust-lang.org/cargo/reference/environment-variables.html#environment-variables-cargo-sets-for-build-scripts
+        //
+        // This handles more of the vars than we actually use (it tries to check
+        // complete-ish set), just to avoid needing maintenance if/when new
+        // calls to `getenv`/`getenv_unwrap` are added.
+        fn provided_by_cargo(envvar: &str) -> bool {
+            match envvar {
+                v if v.starts_with("CARGO") || v.starts_with("RUSTC") => true,
+                "HOST" | "TARGET" | "RUSTDOC" | "OUT_DIR" | "OPT_LEVEL" | "DEBUG" | "PROFILE"
+                | "NUM_JOBS" | "RUSTFLAGS" => true,
+                _ => false,
+            }
+        }
         let mut cache = self.env_cache.lock().unwrap();
         if let Some(val) = cache.get(v) {
             return val.clone();
         }
-        if self.emit_rerun_if_env_changed {
+        if self.emit_rerun_if_env_changed && !provided_by_cargo(v) {
             self.print(&format!("cargo:rerun-if-env-changed={}", v));
         }
         let r = env::var(v).ok();