diff --git a/scripts/start.js b/scripts/start.js
index a94a22a2e0..a95a9d399b 100644
--- a/scripts/start.js
+++ b/scripts/start.js
@@ -66,6 +66,21 @@ const env = {
   DEV: 'true',
 };
 
+const keepCiEnv =
+  process.env.GEMINI_KEEP_CI_ENV === '1' ||
+  process.env.GEMINI_KEEP_CI_ENV === 'true';
+if (!keepCiEnv) {
+  const ciKeys = ['CI', 'CONTINUOUS_INTEGRATION', 'GITHUB_ACTIONS'].filter(
+    (k) => k in env,
+  );
+  if (ciKeys.length > 0) {
+    ciKeys.forEach((k) => delete env[k]);
+    process.stderr.write(
+      `[gemini] Removed CI env vars to keep interactive mode working in dev: ${ciKeys.join(', ')}. Set GEMINI_KEEP_CI_ENV=1 to disable.\n`,
+    );
+  }
+}
+
 if (isInDebugMode) {
   // If this is not set, the debugger will pause on the outer process rather
   // than the relaunched process making it harder to debug.