diff --git a/src/auditwheel/lddtree.py b/src/auditwheel/lddtree.py
index 86fcb6de..eadf7d9f 100644
--- a/src/auditwheel/lddtree.py
+++ b/src/auditwheel/lddtree.py
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ def load_ld_paths(
 ) -> dict[str, list[str]]:
     """Load linker paths from common locations
 
-    This parses the ld.so.conf and LD_LIBRARY_PATH env var.
+    This parses the ld.so.conf and AUDITWHEEL_LD_LIBRARY_PATH / LD_LIBRARY_PATH env vars.
 
     Parameters
     ----------
@@ -334,15 +334,22 @@ def load_ld_paths(
     """
     ldpaths: dict[str, list[str]] = {"conf": [], "env": [], "interp": []}
 
-    # Load up $LD_LIBRARY_PATH.
-    env_ldpath = os.environ.get("LD_LIBRARY_PATH")
-    if env_ldpath is not None:
-        if root != "/":
-            log.warning("ignoring LD_LIBRARY_PATH due to ROOT usage")
-        else:
-            # TODO: If this contains $ORIGIN, we probably have to parse this
-            # on a per-ELF basis so it can get turned into the right thing.
-            ldpaths["env"] = parse_ld_paths(env_ldpath, path="")
+    ld_library_path = os.environ.get("LD_LIBRARY_PATH")
+    if root != "/" and ld_library_path is not None:
+        log.warning("ignoring LD_LIBRARY_PATH due to ROOT usage")
+        ld_library_path = None
+
+    # Load up $AUDITWHEEL_LD_LIBRARY_PATH and $LD_LIBRARY_PATH
+    env_ldpath = ":".join(
+        filter(None, (os.environ.get("AUDITWHEEL_LD_LIBRARY_PATH"), ld_library_path)),
+    )
+
+    if env_ldpath:
+        # TODO: If this contains $ORIGIN, we probably have to parse this
+        # on a per-ELF basis so it can get turned into the right thing.
+        # don't pass root: in case root != "/", only AUDITWHEEL_LD_LIBRARY_PATH is checked
+        # it shall already contain fully resolved paths
+        ldpaths["env"] = parse_ld_paths(env_ldpath, path="")
 
     if libc == Libc.MUSL:
         # from https://git.musl-libc.org/cgit/musl/tree/ldso
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_bundled_wheels.py b/tests/integration/test_bundled_wheels.py
index e7bb52f7..0fb48214 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_bundled_wheels.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_bundled_wheels.py
@@ -1,19 +1,18 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-import importlib
 import json
 import os
 import sys
 import zipfile
 from argparse import Namespace
 from datetime import datetime, timezone
-from os.path import isabs
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Any
 from unittest.mock import Mock
 
 import pytest
 
+import auditwheel.wheel_abi
 from auditwheel import lddtree, main_repair
 from auditwheel.architecture import Architecture
 from auditwheel.libc import Libc
@@ -24,60 +23,83 @@
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
-    ("file", "external_libs", "exclude"),
+    ("file", "external_libs", "exclude", "env"),
     [
         (
             "cffi-1.5.0-cp27-none-linux_x86_64.whl",
             {"libffi.so.5", "libpython2.7.so.1.0"},
             frozenset(),
+            None,
         ),
         (
             "cffi-1.5.0-cp27-none-linux_x86_64.whl",
             set(),
             frozenset(["libffi.so.5", "libpython2.7.so.1.0"]),
+            None,
         ),
         (
             "cffi-1.5.0-cp27-none-linux_x86_64.whl",
             {"libffi.so.5", "libpython2.7.so.1.0"},
             frozenset(["libffi.so.noexist", "libnoexist.so.*"]),
+            None,
         ),
         (
             "cffi-1.5.0-cp27-none-linux_x86_64.whl",
             {"libpython2.7.so.1.0"},
             frozenset(["libffi.so.[4,5]"]),
+            None,
         ),
         (
             "cffi-1.5.0-cp27-none-linux_x86_64.whl",
             {"libffi.so.5", "libpython2.7.so.1.0"},
             frozenset(["libffi.so.[6,7]"]),
+            None,
         ),
         (
             "cffi-1.5.0-cp27-none-linux_x86_64.whl",
             {"libpython2.7.so.1.0"},
             frozenset([f"{HERE}/*"]),
+            "LD_LIBRARY_PATH",
+        ),
+        (
+            "cffi-1.5.0-cp27-none-linux_x86_64.whl",
+            {"libpython2.7.so.1.0"},
+            frozenset([f"{HERE}/*"]),
+            "AUDITWHEEL_LD_LIBRARY_PATH",
+        ),
+        (
+            "cffi-1.5.0-cp27-none-linux_x86_64.whl",
+            {"libffi.so.5", "libpython2.7.so.1.0"},
+            frozenset([f"{HERE}/*"]),
+            None,
         ),
         (
             "cffi-1.5.0-cp27-none-linux_x86_64.whl",
             {"libpython2.7.so.1.0"},
             frozenset(["libffi.so.*"]),
+            None,
         ),
-        ("cffi-1.5.0-cp27-none-linux_x86_64.whl", set(), frozenset(["*"])),
+        ("cffi-1.5.0-cp27-none-linux_x86_64.whl", set(), frozenset(["*"]), None),
         (
             "python_snappy-0.5.2-pp260-pypy_41-linux_x86_64.whl",
             {"libsnappy.so.1"},
             frozenset(),
+            None,
         ),
     ],
 )
-def test_analyze_wheel_abi(file, external_libs, exclude):
-    # If exclude libs contain path, LD_LIBRARY_PATH need to be modified to find the libs
-    # `lddtree.load_ld_paths` needs to be reloaded for it's `lru_cache`-ed.
-    modify_ld_library_path = any(isabs(e) for e in exclude)
+def test_analyze_wheel_abi(file, external_libs, exclude, env):
+    # If exclude libs contain path, the parametrized environment variable "env" needs to be
+    # modified to find the libs
+
+    lddtree.load_ld_paths.cache_clear()
+    auditwheel.wheel_abi.get_wheel_elfdata.cache_clear()
 
     with pytest.MonkeyPatch.context() as cp:
-        if modify_ld_library_path:
-            cp.setenv("LD_LIBRARY_PATH", f"{HERE}")
-            importlib.reload(lddtree)
+        cp.delenv("AUDITWHEEL_LD_LIBRARY_PATH", raising=False)
+        cp.delenv("LD_LIBRARY_PATH", raising=False)
+        if env:
+            cp.setenv(env, f"{HERE}")
 
         winfo = analyze_wheel_abi(
             Libc.GLIBC,
@@ -91,8 +113,8 @@ def test_analyze_wheel_abi(file, external_libs, exclude):
             f"{HERE}, {exclude}, {os.environ}"
         )
 
-    if modify_ld_library_path:
-        importlib.reload(lddtree)
+    lddtree.load_ld_paths.cache_clear()
+    auditwheel.wheel_abi.get_wheel_elfdata.cache_clear()
 
 
 def test_analyze_wheel_abi_pyfpe():