diff --git a/easybuild/tools/modules.py b/easybuild/tools/modules.py
index a2295934c2..7d7181fe30 100644
--- a/easybuild/tools/modules.py
+++ b/easybuild/tools/modules.py
@@ -1328,6 +1328,29 @@ class EnvironmentModules(EnvironmentModulesTcl):
     MAX_VERSION = None
     VERSION_REGEXP = r'^Modules\s+Release\s+(?P<version>\d\S*)\s'
 
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        """Constructor, set Environment Modules-specific class variable values."""
+        # ensure in-depth modulepath search (MODULES_AVAIL_INDEPTH has been introduced in v4.3)
+        setvar('MODULES_AVAIL_INDEPTH', '1', verbose=False)
+        # match against module name start (MODULES_SEARCH_MATCH has been introduced in v4.3)
+        setvar('MODULES_SEARCH_MATCH', 'starts_with', verbose=False)
+        # ensure no debug message (MODULES_VERBOSITY has been introduced in v4.3)
+        setvar('MODULES_VERBOSITY', 'normal', verbose=False)
+        # make module search case sensitive (search is case insensitive by default since v5.0)
+        setvar('MODULES_ICASE', 'never', verbose=False)
+        # disable extended default (introduced in v4.4 and enabled by default in v5.0)
+        setvar('MODULES_EXTENDED_DEFAULT', '0', verbose=False)
+        # hard disable output redirection, output messages are expected on stderr
+        setvar('MODULES_REDIRECT_OUTPUT', '0', verbose=False)
+        # make sure modulefile cache is ignored (cache mechanism supported since v5.3)
+        setvar('MODULES_IGNORE_CACHE', '1', verbose=False)
+        # ensure only module names are returned on avail (MODULES_AVAIL_TERSE_OUTPUT added in v4.7)
+        setvar('MODULES_AVAIL_TERSE_OUTPUT', '', verbose=False)
+        # ensure only module names are returned on list (MODULES_LIST_TERSE_OUTPUT added in v4.7)
+        setvar('MODULES_LIST_TERSE_OUTPUT', '', verbose=False)
+
+        super(EnvironmentModules, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+
     def check_module_function(self, allow_mismatch=False, regex=None):
         """Check whether selected module tool matches 'module' function definition."""
         # Modules 5.1.0+: module command is called from _module_raw shell function
@@ -1360,6 +1383,27 @@ def check_module_output(self, cmd, stdout, stderr):
         else:
             self.log.debug("No errors detected when running module command '%s'", cmd)
 
+    def get_setenv_value_from_modulefile(self, mod_name, var_name):
+        """
+        Get value for specific 'setenv' statement from module file for the specified module.
+
+        :param mod_name: module name
+        :param var_name: name of the variable being set for which value should be returned
+        """
+        # Tcl-based module tools produce "module show" output with setenv statements like:
+        # "setenv		 GCC_PATH /opt/gcc/8.3.0"
+        # "setenv		 VAR {some text}
+        # - line starts with 'setenv'
+        # - whitespace (spaces & tabs) around variable name
+        # - curly braces around value if it contain spaces
+        value = super(EnvironmentModules, self).get_setenv_value_from_modulefile(mod_name=mod_name,
+                                                                                 var_name=var_name)
+
+        if value:
+            value = value.strip('{}')
+
+        return value
+
 
 class Lmod(ModulesTool):
     """Interface to Lmod."""
diff --git a/test/framework/modules.py b/test/framework/modules.py
index 4a8a6b15df..c2460c7a11 100644
--- a/test/framework/modules.py
+++ b/test/framework/modules.py
@@ -437,9 +437,8 @@ def test_load(self):
         # if GCC is loaded again, $EBROOTGCC should be set again, and GCC should be listed last
         self.modtool.load(['GCC/6.4.0-2.28'])
 
-        # environment modules v4.0 does not reload already loaded modules, will be changed in v4.2
-        modtool_ver = StrictVersion(self.modtool.version)
-        if not isinstance(self.modtool, EnvironmentModules) or modtool_ver >= StrictVersion('4.2'):
+        # environment modules v4+ does not reload already loaded modules
+        if not isinstance(self.modtool, EnvironmentModules):
             self.assertTrue(os.environ.get('EBROOTGCC'))
 
         if isinstance(self.modtool, Lmod):