diff --git a/cmd/principal/main.go b/cmd/principal/main.go
index c1975a4..8cdc55a 100644
--- a/cmd/principal/main.go
+++ b/cmd/principal/main.go
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 	"v.io/v23/security"
 	"v.io/v23/vom"
 	"v.io/x/lib/cmdline"
+	"v.io/x/ref/envvar"
 	vsecurity "v.io/x/ref/lib/security"
 	_ "v.io/x/ref/profiles/static"
 )
@@ -891,7 +892,11 @@
 	cmdBless.Flags.StringVar(&flagBlessRemoteToken, "remote-token", "", "Token provided by principal running the 'recvblessings' command")
 	cmdBless.Flags.StringVar(&flagRemoteArgFile, "remote-arg-file", "", "File containing bless arguments written by 'principal recvblessings -remote-arg-file FILE EXTENSION' command. This can be provided to bless in place of --remote-key, --remote-token, and <principal>")
 
-	cmdSeekBlessings.Flags.StringVar(&flagSeekBlessingsFrom, "from", "https://dev.v.io/auth/google", "URL to use to begin the seek blessings process")
+	defaultFrom := "https://dev.v.io/auth/google"
+	if e := os.Getenv(envvar.OAuthIdentityProvider); e != "" {
+		defaultFrom = e
+	}
+	cmdSeekBlessings.Flags.StringVar(&flagSeekBlessingsFrom, "from", defaultFrom, "URL to use to begin the seek blessings process")
 	cmdSeekBlessings.Flags.BoolVar(&flagSeekBlessingsSetDefault, "set-default", true, "If true, the blessings obtained will be set as the default blessing in the store")
 	cmdSeekBlessings.Flags.StringVar(&flagSeekBlessingsForPeer, "for-peer", string(security.AllPrincipals), "If non-empty, the blessings obtained will be marked for peers matching this pattern in the store")
 	cmdSeekBlessings.Flags.BoolVar(&flagSeekBlessingsBrowser, "browser", true, "If false, the seekblessings command will not open the browser and only print the url to visit.")
diff --git a/cmd/vbash b/cmd/vbash
index 9ccf5b1..d7e3c3e 100755
--- a/cmd/vbash
+++ b/cmd/vbash
@@ -140,14 +140,16 @@
 
   # Check staging flag "-s".
   local INSTALL_DIR="${HOME}/.vbash"
-  local SEEK_BLESSINGS_URL="https://dev.v.io/auth/google"
-  local STAGING=0
+  local IDENTITY_PROVIDER="https://dev.v.io/auth/google"
+  local TAG=""
+  local NS="/(dev.v.io/role/vprod)@ns.dev.v.io:8101"
   while getopts ":s" opt; do
     case $opt in
       s)
         INSTALL_DIR="${HOME}/.vbash-staging"
-        SEEK_BLESSINGS_URL="https://dev.staging.v.io/auth/google"
-        STAGING=1
+        IDENTITY_PROVIDER="https://dev.staging.v.io/auth/google"
+        TAG="\[\e[1;35m\][STAGING] "
+        NS="/(dev.v.io/role/vprod)@ns.dev.staging.v.io:8101"
         ;;
       \?)
         echo "Invalid option: -$OPTARG" >&2
@@ -196,12 +198,6 @@
 
   # Use a custom rcfile to optionally get a blessing and also to modify the
   # shell prompt to include the default vanadium blessing.
-  local TAG=""
-  local NS="/(dev.v.io/role/vprod)@ns.dev.v.io:8101"
-  if [[ "${STAGING}" == 1 ]]; then
-    TAG="\[\e[1;35m\][STAGING] "
-    NS="/(dev.v.io/role/vprod)@ns.dev.staging.v.io:8101"
-  fi
   cat <<EOF > "${INSTALL_DIR}/rcfile"
 if [[ Darwin == "$(uname)" ]]; then
   if [[ -r /etc/profile ]]; then . /etc/profile; fi
@@ -214,11 +210,12 @@
 else
   if [[ -f ~/.bashrc ]]; then . ~/.bashrc; fi
 fi
-if [[ "${SEEK_BLESSING}" -eq "1" ]]; then
-  "${BIN_INSTALL}/principal" seekblessings -from=${SEEK_BLESSINGS_URL}
-fi
 export PROMPT_COMMAND='PS1="\u@\h (${TAG}\[\e[1;32m\]\$("${BIN_INSTALL}/principal" dump -s)\[\e[0m\]):\w \$ "'
 export V23_NAMESPACE="${NS}"
+export V23_OAUTH_IDENTITY_PROVIDER="${IDENTITY_PROVIDER}"
+if [[ "${SEEK_BLESSING}" -eq "1" ]]; then
+  "${BIN_INSTALL}/principal" seekblessings
+fi
 
 EOF
 
diff --git a/envvar/envvar.go b/envvar/envvar.go
index e91a566..5d7d810 100644
--- a/envvar/envvar.go
+++ b/envvar/envvar.go
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@
 	// I18nCatalogueFiles points to a comma-separated list of i18n
 	// catalogue files to be loaded at startup.
 	I18nCatalogueFiles = "V23_I18N_CATALOGUE"
+
+	// OAuthIdentityProvider points to the url of the OAuth identity
+	// provider used by the principal seekblessings command.
+	OAuthIdentityProvider = "V23_OAUTH_IDENTITY_PROVIDER"
 )
 
 // NamespaceRoots returns the set of namespace roots to be used by the process,