diff --git a/poethepoet/config/partition.py b/poethepoet/config/partition.py
index b0fbbd444..acc97cb36 100644
--- a/poethepoet/config/partition.py
+++ b/poethepoet/config/partition.py
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ class ConfigOptions(PoeOptions):
         Options supported directly under tool.poe in included config files
         """
 
-        env: Mapping[str, str] = EmptyDict
+        env: Mapping[str, Union[str, EnvDefault]] = EmptyDict
         envfile: Union[str, Sequence[str]] = tuple()
         tasks: Mapping[str, Any] = EmptyDict
 
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/includes_project/sub_git_repo/base_tasks2.toml b/tests/fixtures/includes_project/sub_git_repo/base_tasks2.toml
index 14f0af4e1..85a7c4180 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/includes_project/sub_git_repo/base_tasks2.toml
+++ b/tests/fixtures/includes_project/sub_git_repo/base_tasks2.toml
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 # tasks to be included relative to the git repo root
 
+tool.poe.env.foo.default = "bar"
+
+
 [tool.poe.tasks]
 did_it_work2 = "poe_test_echo yes"