diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 46cec18d31..0ad10aad4b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@
   into services for easier overriding (Volund)
 - [Feature][issue3307]: Add support for Attribute-categories when using the monitorhandler
   with input funcs to monitor Attribute changes.
+- [Fix] (Backwards incompatible): Change `settings._TEST_ENVIRONMENT` to
+  `settings.TEST_ENVIRONMENT` to address issues during refactored startup sequence.
 - [Fix][pull3197]: Make sure Global scripts only start in one place,
 - [Fix][pull3324]: Make account-post-login-fail signal fire properly. Add
   `CUSTOM_SIGNAL` for adding one's own signals (Volund)
diff --git a/docs/source/Setup/Settings-Default.md b/docs/source/Setup/Settings-Default.md
index a6042aac4b..94e2ff9e3d 100644
--- a/docs/source/Setup/Settings-Default.md
+++ b/docs/source/Setup/Settings-Default.md
@@ -1246,7 +1246,7 @@ AMP_CLIENT_PROTOCOL_CLASS = "evennia.server.amp_client.AMPServerClientProtocol"
 # don't change this manually, it can be checked from code to know if
 # being run from a unit test (set by the evennia.utils.test_resources.BaseEvenniaTest
 # and BaseEvenniaTestCase unit testing parents)
-_TEST_ENVIRONMENT = False
+TEST_ENVIRONMENT = False
 
 ######################################################################
 # Django extensions
diff --git a/evennia/objects/manager.py b/evennia/objects/manager.py
index 576312ce1b..c3261427fa 100644
--- a/evennia/objects/manager.py
+++ b/evennia/objects/manager.py
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import re
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.db.models import Q
 from django.db.models.fields import exceptions
-
 from evennia.server import signals
 from evennia.typeclasses.managers import TypeclassManager, TypedObjectManager
 from evennia.utils.utils import (
@@ -721,7 +720,7 @@ class ObjectDBManager(TypedObjectManager):
         try:
             home = dbid_to_obj(home_obj_or_dbref, self.model)
         except self.model.DoesNotExist:
-            if settings._TEST_ENVIRONMENT:
+            if settings.TEST_ENVIRONMENT:
                 # this happens for databases where the #1 location is flushed during tests
                 home = None
             else:
diff --git a/evennia/server/initial_setup.py b/evennia/server/initial_setup.py
index 974b4a8ee6..91bad349bd 100644
--- a/evennia/server/initial_setup.py
+++ b/evennia/server/initial_setup.py
@@ -9,10 +9,9 @@ Everything starts at handle_setup()
 
 import time
 
+import evennia
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.utils.translation import gettext as _
-
-import evennia
 from evennia.accounts.models import AccountDB
 from evennia.server.models import ServerConfig
 from evennia.utils import create, logger
@@ -174,7 +173,7 @@ def reset_server():
     also checks so the warm-reset mechanism works as it should.
 
     """
-    if settings._TEST_ENVIRONMENT:
+    if settings.TEST_ENVIRONMENT:
         return
     ServerConfig.objects.conf("server_epoch", time.time())
 
diff --git a/evennia/server/portal/portalsessionhandler.py b/evennia/server/portal/portalsessionhandler.py
index 04997cd41a..6bd6d7c783 100644
--- a/evennia/server/portal/portalsessionhandler.py
+++ b/evennia/server/portal/portalsessionhandler.py
@@ -7,15 +7,14 @@ Sessionhandler for portal sessions.
 import time
 from collections import deque, namedtuple
 
+import evennia
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.utils.translation import gettext as _
-from twisted.internet import reactor
-
-import evennia
 from evennia.server.portal.amp import PCONN, PCONNSYNC, PDISCONN, PDISCONNALL
 from evennia.server.sessionhandler import SessionHandler
 from evennia.utils.logger import log_trace
 from evennia.utils.utils import class_from_module
+from twisted.internet import reactor
 
 # module import
 _MOD_IMPORT = None
@@ -41,7 +40,7 @@ DUMMYSESSION = namedtuple("DummySession", ["sessid"])(0)
 # -------------------------------------------------------------
 
 DOS_PROTECTION_MSG = _(
-    "{servername} DoS protection is active." "You are queued to connect in {num} seconds ..."
+    "{servername} DoS protection is active.You are queued to connect in {num} seconds ..."
 )
 
 
@@ -231,7 +230,7 @@ class PortalSessionHandler(SessionHandler):
         Disconnect all sessions, informing the Server.
 
         """
-        if settings._TEST_ENVIRONMENT:
+        if settings.TEST_ENVIRONMENT:
             return
 
         def _callback(result, sessionhandler):
diff --git a/evennia/server/service.py b/evennia/server/service.py
index 075af1fde1..20e0348d72 100644
--- a/evennia/server/service.py
+++ b/evennia/server/service.py
@@ -7,20 +7,19 @@ import time
 import traceback
 
 import django
+import evennia
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.db import connection
 from django.db.utils import OperationalError
 from django.utils.translation import gettext as _
+from evennia.utils import logger
+from evennia.utils.utils import get_evennia_version, make_iter, mod_import
 from twisted.application import internet
 from twisted.application.service import MultiService
 from twisted.internet import defer, reactor
 from twisted.internet.defer import Deferred
 from twisted.internet.task import LoopingCall
 
-import evennia
-from evennia.utils import logger
-from evennia.utils.utils import get_evennia_version, make_iter, mod_import
-
 _SA = object.__setattr__
 
 
@@ -406,7 +405,7 @@ class EvenniaServerService(MultiService):
         except Exception:
             # stop server if this happens.
             print(traceback.format_exc())
-            if not settings._TEST_ENVIRONMENT or not evennia.SESSION_HANDLER:
+            if not settings.TEST_ENVIRONMENT or not evennia.SESSION_HANDLER:
                 print("Error in initial setup. Stopping Server + Portal.")
                 evennia.SESSION_HANDLER.portal_shutdown()
 
diff --git a/evennia/server/tests/test_server.py b/evennia/server/tests/test_server.py
index 674843f6e2..632e8e3854 100644
--- a/evennia/server/tests/test_server.py
+++ b/evennia/server/tests/test_server.py
@@ -4,11 +4,10 @@ Test the main server component
 """
 from unittest import TestCase
 
+import evennia
 from django.test import override_settings
 from mock import DEFAULT, MagicMock, call, patch
 
-import evennia
-
 
 @patch("evennia.server.service.LoopingCall", new=MagicMock())
 class TestServer(TestCase):
@@ -148,7 +147,7 @@ class TestServer(TestCase):
             for m in (mockscr, mockobj, mockacc, mockchan):
                 m.objects.filter.assert_called()
 
-    @override_settings(_TEST_ENVIRONMENT=True)
+    @override_settings(TEST_ENVIRONMENT=True)
     def test_initial_setup(self):
         from evennia.utils.create import create_account
 
@@ -161,7 +160,7 @@ class TestServer(TestCase):
             self.server.run_initial_setup()
         acct.delete()
 
-    @override_settings(_TEST_ENVIRONMENT=True)
+    @override_settings(TEST_ENVIRONMENT=True)
     def test_initial_setup_retry(self):
         from evennia.utils.create import create_account
 
@@ -218,7 +217,7 @@ class TestInitHooks(TestCase):
         for obj in self.objects:
             obj.delete()
 
-    @override_settings(_TEST_ENVIRONMENT=True)
+    @override_settings(TEST_ENVIRONMENT=True)
     def test_run_init_hooks(self):
         with patch.object(
             self.server, "at_server_reload_start", new=MagicMock()
diff --git a/evennia/server/tests/testrunner.py b/evennia/server/tests/testrunner.py
index abb772a5b4..9652c5a9d0 100644
--- a/evennia/server/tests/testrunner.py
+++ b/evennia/server/tests/testrunner.py
@@ -24,13 +24,13 @@ class EvenniaTestSuiteRunner(DiscoverRunner):
         from django.conf import settings
 
         # set testing flag while suite runs
-        settings._TEST_ENVIRONMENT = True
+        settings.TEST_ENVIRONMENT = True
         super().setup_test_environment(**kwargs)
 
     def teardown_test_environment(self, **kwargs):
         # remove testing flag after suite has run
         from django.conf import settings
 
-        settings._TEST_ENVIRONMENT = False
+        settings.TEST_ENVIRONMENT = False
 
         super().teardown_test_environment(**kwargs)
diff --git a/evennia/settings_default.py b/evennia/settings_default.py
index 9711af3167..83038d8358 100644
--- a/evennia/settings_default.py
+++ b/evennia/settings_default.py
@@ -1227,7 +1227,7 @@ AMP_CLIENT_PROTOCOL_CLASS = "evennia.server.amp_client.AMPServerClientProtocol"
 # don't change this manually, it can be checked from code to know if
 # being run from a unit test (set by the evennia.utils.test_resources.BaseEvenniaTest
 # and BaseEvenniaTestCase unit testing parents)
-_TEST_ENVIRONMENT = False
+TEST_ENVIRONMENT = False
 
 ######################################################################
 # Django extensions
diff --git a/evennia/utils/test_resources.py b/evennia/utils/test_resources.py
index c7e1570617..af00d99041 100644
--- a/evennia/utils/test_resources.py
+++ b/evennia/utils/test_resources.py
@@ -26,27 +26,21 @@ import re
 import sys
 import types
 
+import evennia
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.test import TestCase, override_settings
-from mock import MagicMock, Mock, patch
-from twisted.internet.defer import Deferred
-
-import evennia
 from evennia import settings_default
 from evennia.accounts.accounts import DefaultAccount
 from evennia.commands.command import InterruptCommand
 from evennia.commands.default.muxcommand import MuxCommand
-from evennia.objects.objects import (
-    DefaultCharacter,
-    DefaultExit,
-    DefaultObject,
-    DefaultRoom,
-)
+from evennia.objects.objects import DefaultCharacter, DefaultExit, DefaultObject, DefaultRoom
 from evennia.scripts.scripts import DefaultScript
 from evennia.server.serversession import ServerSession
 from evennia.utils import ansi, create
 from evennia.utils.idmapper.models import flush_cache
 from evennia.utils.utils import all_from_module, to_str
+from mock import MagicMock, Mock, patch
+from twisted.internet.defer import Deferred
 
 _RE_STRIP_EVMENU = re.compile(r"^\+|-+\+|\+-+|--+|\|(?:\s|$)", re.MULTILINE)
 
@@ -101,7 +95,7 @@ DEFAULT_SETTING_RESETS = dict(
         "evennia.game_template.server.conf.prototypefuncs",
     ],
     BASE_GUEST_TYPECLASS="evennia.accounts.accounts.DefaultGuest",
-    # a special setting boolean _TEST_ENVIRONMENT is set by the test runner
+    # a special setting boolean TEST_ENVIRONMENT is set by the test runner
     # while the test suite is running.
 )