diff --git a/pm_filter b/pm_filter
index a80ce04f0..287adc376 100755
--- a/pm_filter
+++ b/pm_filter
@@ -20,6 +20,6 @@ elsif (/^use lib/) {
 		$_="use lib '$libdir';\n";
 	}
 }
-elsif ($. == 1 && $ENV{NOTAINT} && m{^(#!/usr/bin/perl) -T$}) {
+elsif ($. == 1 && ($ENV{NOTAINT} || ! exists $ENV{NOTAINT}) && m{^(#!/usr/bin/perl) -T$}) {
 	$_=qq{$1\n};
 }