diff --git a/tfexec/cmd.go b/tfexec/cmd.go
index c91be139..7473b66c 100644
--- a/tfexec/cmd.go
+++ b/tfexec/cmd.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ const (
 	logPathEnvVar           = "TF_LOG_PATH"
 	reattachEnvVar          = "TF_REATTACH_PROVIDERS"
 	appendUserAgentEnvVar   = "TF_APPEND_USER_AGENT"
+	workspaceEnvVar         = "TF_WORKSPACE"
 
 	varEnvVarPrefix = "TF_VAR_"
 )
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ var prohibitedEnvVars = []string{
 	logEnvVar,
 	reattachEnvVar,
 	appendUserAgentEnvVar,
+	workspaceEnvVar,
 }
 
 func envMap(environ []string) map[string]string {
@@ -105,6 +107,9 @@ func (tf *Terraform) buildEnv(mergeEnv map[string]string) []string {
 	// constant automation override env vars
 	env[automationEnvVar] = "1"
 
+	// force usage of workspace methods for switching
+	env[workspaceEnvVar] = ""
+
 	return envSlice(env)
 }
 
diff --git a/tfexec/cmd_test.go b/tfexec/cmd_test.go
index 00424e9d..3f283208 100644
--- a/tfexec/cmd_test.go
+++ b/tfexec/cmd_test.go
@@ -36,11 +36,12 @@ func TestMergeUserAgent(t *testing.T) {
 
 func defaultEnv() []string {
 	return []string{
+		"CHECKPOINT_DISABLE=",
 		"TF_APPEND_USER_AGENT=HashiCorp-terraform-exec/" + version.ModuleVersion(),
-		"TF_LOG=",
-		"TF_LOG_PATH=",
 		"TF_IN_AUTOMATION=1",
-		"CHECKPOINT_DISABLE=",
+		"TF_LOG_PATH=",
+		"TF_LOG=",
+		"TF_WORKSPACE=",
 	}
 }