diff --git a/python/paddle/v2/__init__.py b/python/paddle/v2/__init__.py
index 7c8f6ea62fcb74700f7356ed4b937a3aaa1c7092..70c8ec0baa63b9a20506cb786997c0b6d8eedf01 100644
--- a/python/paddle/v2/__init__.py
+++ b/python/paddle/v2/__init__.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 # WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
+import os
 import optimizer
 import layer
 import activation
@@ -42,7 +43,15 @@ __all__ = [
 
 def init(**kwargs):
     args = []
-    for key in kwargs.keys():
+    args_dict = {}
+    # NOTE: append arguments if they are in ENV
+    for ek, ev in os.environ.iteritems():
+        if ek.startswith("PADDLE_INIT_"):
+            args_dict[ek.replace("PADDLE_INIT_", "").lower()] = str(ev)
+
+    args_dict.update(kwargs)
+    # NOTE: overwrite arguments from ENV if it is in kwargs
+    for key in args_dict.keys():
         args.append('--%s=%s' % (key, str(kwargs[key])))
 
     api.initPaddle(*args)