diff --git a/lib/tool_shed/galaxy_install/tool_dependencies/td_common_util.py b/lib/tool_shed/galaxy_install/tool_dependencies/td_common_util.py
index c129e58a9a8..fad6353e64e 100755
--- a/lib/tool_shed/galaxy_install/tool_dependencies/td_common_util.py
+++ b/lib/tool_shed/galaxy_install/tool_dependencies/td_common_util.py
@@ -146,16 +146,21 @@ def create_env_var_dict( elem, tool_dependency_install_dir=None, tool_shed_repos
     return None
 
 def create_or_update_env_shell_file( install_dir, env_var_dict ):
-    env_var_name = env_var_dict[ 'name' ]
     env_var_action = env_var_dict[ 'action' ]
     env_var_value = env_var_dict[ 'value' ]
-    if env_var_action == 'prepend_to':
-        changed_value = '%s:$%s' % ( env_var_value, env_var_name )
-    elif env_var_action == 'set_to':
-        changed_value = '%s' % env_var_value
-    elif env_var_action == 'append_to':
-        changed_value = '$%s:%s' % ( env_var_name, env_var_value )
-    line = "%s=%s; export %s" % ( env_var_name, changed_value, env_var_name )
+    if env_var_action in ['prepend_to', 'set_to', 'append_to']:
+        env_var_name = env_var_dict[ 'name' ]
+        if env_var_action == 'prepend_to':
+            changed_value = '%s:$%s' % ( env_var_value, env_var_name )
+        elif env_var_action == 'set_to':
+            changed_value = '%s' % env_var_value
+        elif env_var_action == 'append_to':
+            changed_value = '$%s:%s' % ( env_var_name, env_var_value )
+        line = "%s=%s; export %s" % ( env_var_name, changed_value, env_var_name )
+    elif env_var_action == "source":
+        line = ". %s" % env_var_value
+    else:
+        raise Exception( "Unknown shell file action %s" % env_var_action )
     env_shell_file_path = os.path.join( install_dir, 'env.sh' )
     return line, env_shell_file_path
 
diff --git a/test/unit/tool_shed/test_td_common_util.py b/test/unit/tool_shed/test_td_common_util.py
index 60f2daebf03..c260cec667c 100644
--- a/test/unit/tool_shed/test_td_common_util.py
+++ b/test/unit/tool_shed/test_td_common_util.py
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@ def test_create_or_update_env_shell_file( ):
     assert path == join( TEST_INSTALL_DIR, "env.sh" )
     assert line == "R_LIBS=/usr/share/R/libs; export R_LIBS"
 
+    line, path = td_common_util.create_or_update_env_shell_file( TEST_INSTALL_DIR, dict(action="source", value=test_path))
+    assert path == join( TEST_INSTALL_DIR, "env.sh" )
+    assert line == ". /usr/share/R/libs"
+
 
 def test_parse_setup_environment_repositories( ):
     xml = """<action name="setup_r_environment">