diff --git a/doc/todo/restore_original_environment_when_running_external_special_remotes_from_standalone_git-annex__63__.mdwn b/doc/todo/restore_original_environment_when_running_external_special_remotes_from_standalone_git-annex__63__.mdwn
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..46414d84ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/todo/restore_original_environment_when_running_external_special_remotes_from_standalone_git-annex__63__.mdwn
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+When [[standalone|install/Linux_standalone]] git-annex runs external special remote, it does so in the standalone environment.  I wonder if it makes more sense to run them in the original environment (by restoring PATH from ORIG_PATH)?   If the external special remote has been packaged with a package manager like conda, it expects its dependencies to come from the environment set up by that package manager, not the git-annex standalone environment.
+
+Also, maybe rename exported vars like ORIG_PATH to GIT_ANNEX_ORIG_PATH.