diff --git a/pkg/cmd/factory/default.go b/pkg/cmd/factory/default.go
index e5be3dd0c..e348bf5e0 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/factory/default.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/factory/default.go
@@ -183,7 +183,9 @@ func ioStreams(f *cmdutil.Factory) *iostreams.IOStreams {
 		return io
 	}
 
-	if prompt, _ := cfg.GetOrDefault("", "prompt"); prompt == "disabled" {
+	if _, ghPromptDisabled := os.LookupEnv("GH_PROMPT_DISABLED"); ghPromptDisabled {
+		io.SetNeverPrompt(true)
+	} else if prompt, _ := cfg.GetOrDefault("", "prompt"); prompt == "disabled" {
 		io.SetNeverPrompt(true)
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/factory/default_test.go b/pkg/cmd/factory/default_test.go
index 7863ce933..4569e2e70 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/factory/default_test.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/factory/default_test.go
@@ -352,6 +352,7 @@ func Test_ioStreams_prompt(t *testing.T) {
 		name           string
 		config         config.Config
 		promptDisabled bool
+		env            map[string]string
 	}{
 		{
 			name:           "default config",
@@ -362,9 +363,19 @@ func Test_ioStreams_prompt(t *testing.T) {
 			config:         disablePromptConfig(),
 			promptDisabled: true,
 		},
+		{
+			name:           "prompt disabled via GH_PROMPT_DISABLED env var",
+			env:            map[string]string{"GH_PROMPT_DISABLED": "1"},
+			promptDisabled: true,
+		},
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if tt.env != nil {
+				for k, v := range tt.env {
+					t.Setenv(k, v)
+				}
+			}
 			f := New("1")
 			f.Config = func() (config.Config, error) {
 				if tt.config == nil {
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/root/help_topic.go b/pkg/cmd/root/help_topic.go
index 231b102f3..361d73223 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/root/help_topic.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/root/help_topic.go
@@ -81,6 +81,8 @@ var HelpTopics = map[string]map[string]string{
 
 			GH_CONFIG_DIR: the directory where gh will store configuration files. Default:
 			"$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/gh" or "$HOME/.config/gh".
+
+			GH_PROMPT_DISABLED: set to any value to disable interactive prompting in the terminal.
 		`),
 	},
 	"reference": {