diff --git a/opendevin/runtime/runtime.py b/opendevin/runtime/runtime.py
index e3bd0d41a7..77638b7bf5 100644
--- a/opendevin/runtime/runtime.py
+++ b/opendevin/runtime/runtime.py
@@ -75,10 +75,10 @@ class Runtime:
         This method should be called after the runtime's constructor.
         """
         logger.debug(f'Adding default env vars: {self.DEFAULT_ENV_VARS}')
-        await self.add_env_var(self.DEFAULT_ENV_VARS)
+        await self.add_env_vars(self.DEFAULT_ENV_VARS)
         if env_vars is not None:
             logger.debug(f'Adding provided env vars: {env_vars}')
-            await self.add_env_var(env_vars)
+            await self.add_env_vars(env_vars)
 
     async def close(self) -> None:
         pass
@@ -115,16 +115,20 @@ class Runtime:
 
     # ====================================================================
 
-    async def add_env_var(self, vars):
+    async def add_env_vars(self, env_vars: dict[str, str]) -> None:
         cmd = ''
-        for key, value in vars.items():
+        for key, value in env_vars.items():
             # Note: json.dumps gives us nice escaping for free
             cmd += f'export {key}={json.dumps(value)}; '
+        if not cmd:
+            return
         cmd = cmd.strip()
         logger.debug(f'Adding env var: {cmd}')
         obs: Observation = await self.run(CmdRunAction(cmd))
         if not isinstance(obs, CmdOutputObservation) or obs.exit_code != 0:
-            raise RuntimeError(f'Failed to add {key} to environment: {obs}')
+            raise RuntimeError(
+                f'Failed to add env vars [{env_vars}] to environment: {obs.content}'
+            )
 
     async def on_event(self, event: Event) -> None:
         if isinstance(event, Action):
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_runtime.py b/tests/unit/test_runtime.py
index 0ef9a5413b..368a47cec4 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_runtime.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_runtime.py
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ async def test_env_vars_os_environ():
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
-async def test_env_vars_runtime_add_env_var():
+async def test_env_vars_runtime_add_env_vars():
     plugins = [JupyterRequirement(), AgentSkillsRequirement()]
     sid = 'test'
     cli_session = 'main_test'
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ async def test_env_vars_runtime_add_env_var():
     for box_class in RUNTIME_TO_TEST:
         event_stream = EventStream(cli_session)
         runtime = await _load_runtime(box_class, event_stream, plugins, sid)
-        await runtime.add_env_var({'QUUX': 'abc"def'})
+        await runtime.add_env_vars({'QUUX': 'abc"def'})
 
         obs: CmdOutputObservation = await runtime.run_action(
             CmdRunAction(command='echo $QUUX')
@@ -112,6 +112,32 @@ async def test_env_vars_runtime_add_env_var():
         await runtime.close()
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_env_vars_runtime_add_empty_dict():
+    plugins = [JupyterRequirement(), AgentSkillsRequirement()]
+    sid = 'test'
+    cli_session = 'main_test'
+
+    for box_class in RUNTIME_TO_TEST:
+        event_stream = EventStream(cli_session)
+        runtime = await _load_runtime(box_class, event_stream, plugins, sid)
+
+        prev_obs = await runtime.run_action(CmdRunAction(command='env'))
+        assert prev_obs.exit_code == 0, 'The exit code should be 0.'
+        print(prev_obs)
+
+        await runtime.add_env_vars({})
+
+        obs = await runtime.run_action(CmdRunAction(command='env'))
+        assert obs.exit_code == 0, 'The exit code should be 0.'
+        print(obs)
+        assert (
+            obs.content == prev_obs.content
+        ), 'The env var content should be the same after adding an empty dict.'
+
+        await runtime.close()
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_env_vars_runtime_add_multiple_env_vars():
     plugins = [JupyterRequirement(), AgentSkillsRequirement()]
@@ -121,7 +147,7 @@ async def test_env_vars_runtime_add_multiple_env_vars():
     for box_class in RUNTIME_TO_TEST:
         event_stream = EventStream(cli_session)
         runtime = await _load_runtime(box_class, event_stream, plugins, sid)
-        await runtime.add_env_var({'QUUX': 'abc"def', 'FOOBAR': 'xyz'})
+        await runtime.add_env_vars({'QUUX': 'abc"def', 'FOOBAR': 'xyz'})
 
         obs: CmdOutputObservation = await runtime.run_action(
             CmdRunAction(command='echo $QUUX $FOOBAR')
@@ -135,7 +161,7 @@ async def test_env_vars_runtime_add_multiple_env_vars():
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
-async def test_env_vars_runtime_add_env_var_overwrite():
+async def test_env_vars_runtime_add_env_vars_overwrite():
     plugins = [JupyterRequirement(), AgentSkillsRequirement()]
     sid = 'test'
     cli_session = 'main_test'
@@ -144,7 +170,7 @@ async def test_env_vars_runtime_add_env_var_overwrite():
         with patch.dict(os.environ, {'SANDBOX_ENV_FOOBAR': 'BAZ'}):
             event_stream = EventStream(cli_session)
             runtime = await _load_runtime(box_class, event_stream, plugins, sid)
-            await runtime.add_env_var({'FOOBAR': 'xyz'})
+            await runtime.add_env_vars({'FOOBAR': 'xyz'})
 
             obs: CmdOutputObservation = await runtime.run_action(
                 CmdRunAction(command='echo $FOOBAR')