diff --git a/rc/bin/rconnect b/rc/bin/rconnect
index 5d672aae7..26c50a73f 100755
--- a/rc/bin/rconnect
+++ b/rc/bin/rconnect
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ fn usage {
 
 fn pvar {
 	while(! ~ $#* 0){
-		~ $#$1 0 || path=/dev/null builtin whatis $1
+		~ $#$1 0 && echo $1'=()' ||
+			path=/dev/null builtin whatis $1
 		shift
 	}
 }
diff --git a/rc/bin/rcpu b/rc/bin/rcpu
index 1a6b83b83..54f670c67 100755
--- a/rc/bin/rcpu
+++ b/rc/bin/rcpu
@@ -76,7 +76,8 @@ while(~ $1 -*){
 
 fn pvar {
 	while(! ~ $#* 0){
-		~ $#$1 0 || path=/dev/null builtin whatis $1
+		~ $#$1 0 && echo $1'=()' ||
+			path=/dev/null builtin whatis $1
 		shift
 	}
 }
diff --git a/rc/bin/rexport b/rc/bin/rexport
index a7364e58f..99030a363 100755
--- a/rc/bin/rexport
+++ b/rc/bin/rexport
@@ -49,7 +49,8 @@ cmd=$*
 
 fn pvar {
 	while(! ~ $#* 0){
-		~ $#$1 0 || path=/dev/null builtin whatis $1
+		~ $#$1 0 && echo $1'=()' ||
+			path=/dev/null builtin whatis $1
 		shift
 	}
 }
diff --git a/rc/bin/rimport b/rc/bin/rimport
index 3b9906806..a55f2079d 100755
--- a/rc/bin/rimport
+++ b/rc/bin/rimport
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@ case *; usage
 
 fn pvar {
 	while(! ~ $#* 0){
-		~ $#$1 0 || path=/dev/null builtin whatis $1
+		~ $#$1 0 && echo $1'=()' ||
+			path=/dev/null builtin whatis $1
 		shift
 	}
 }