diff --git a/home/base/desktop/zellij/default.nix b/home/base/desktop/zellij/default.nix
index dca97631..b6e13ba6 100644
--- a/home/base/desktop/zellij/default.nix
+++ b/home/base/desktop/zellij/default.nix
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ in {
   # auto start zellij in nushell
   programs.nushell.extraConfig = ''
     # auto start zellij
-    if not "ZELLIJ" in $env {
+    # except when in emacs or zellij itself
+    if (not "ZELLIJ" in $env) and (not "INSIDE_EMACS" in $env) {
       if "ZELLIJ_AUTO_ATTACH" in $env and $env.ZELLIJ_AUTO_ATTACH == "true" {
         ^zellij attach -c
       } else {