diff --git a/taskman.inc.php b/taskman.inc.php
index 4dbf599..7356ed4 100644
--- a/taskman.inc.php
+++ b/taskman.inc.php
@@ -496,6 +496,21 @@ function _parse_taskstr($str)
   return $task_spec;
 }
 
+function _read_env_vars()
+{
+  $envs = getenv(null);
+
+  foreach($envs as $k => $v)
+  {
+    if(strpos($k, 'TASKMAN_SET_') === 0)
+    {
+      $prop_name = substr($k, 12);
+      msg_sys("Setting prop '$prop_name' (with env '$k')\n");
+      set($prop_name, $v);
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 function _process_argv(&$argv)
 {
   global $TASKMAN_LOG_LEVEL;
@@ -549,9 +564,10 @@ function _process_argv(&$argv)
         $def_name = substr($v, 0, $eq_pos);
         $def_value = substr($v, $eq_pos+1);
 
-        if(in_array(strtolower($def_value), array('yes', 'true'), true/*strict*/))
+        //TODO: this code must be more robust
+        if(strtolower($def_value) === 'true')
           $def_value = true;
-        else if(in_array(strtolower($def_value), array('no', 'false'), true/*strict*/))
+        else if(strtolower($def_value) === 'false')
           $def_value = false;
       }
       else
@@ -560,7 +576,7 @@ function _process_argv(&$argv)
         $def_value = 1;
       }
 
-      msg_sys("Setting prop $def_name=" . (is_bool($def_value) ? ($def_value ? 'true' : 'false') : $def_value) . "\n");
+      msg_sys("Setting prop '$def_name'=" . var_export($def_value, true) . "\n");
       set($def_name, $def_value);
       
       $process_defs = false;
@@ -572,14 +588,19 @@ function _process_argv(&$argv)
 }
 
 
-function main($argv = array(), $help_func = null, $proc_argv = true)
+function main($argv = array(), $help_func = null, $proc_argv = true, $read_env_vars = true)
 {
   $GLOBALS['TASKMAN_START_TIME'] = microtime(true);
 
   if($help_func)
     $GLOBALS['TASKMAN_HELP_FUNC'] = $help_func;
+
+  if($read_env_vars)
+    _read_env_vars();
+
   if($proc_argv)
     _process_argv($argv);
+
   $GLOBALS['TASKMAN_SCRIPT'] = array_shift($argv);
 
   _collect_tasks();