diff --git a/mistral/engine/workflows.py b/mistral/engine/workflows.py
index 66978d0ec..a673433dd 100644
--- a/mistral/engine/workflows.py
+++ b/mistral/engine/workflows.py
@@ -138,9 +138,12 @@ class Workflow(object):
         wf_ctrl = wf_base.get_controller(self.wf_ex)
 
         # Calculate commands to process next.
-        cmds = wf_ctrl.continue_workflow(env)
+        cmds = wf_ctrl.continue_workflow()
 
-        # TODO(rakhmerov): How to update environment correctly?
+        if env:
+            for cmd in cmds:
+                if isinstance(cmd, commands.RunExistingTask):
+                    _update_task_environment(cmd.task_ex, env)
 
         self._continue_workflow(cmds)
 
@@ -159,11 +162,7 @@ class Workflow(object):
 
         self.set_state(states.RUNNING, recursive=True)
 
-        if env:
-            task_ex.in_context['__env'] = utils.merge_dicts(
-                task_ex.in_context['__env'],
-                env
-            )
+        _update_task_environment(task_ex, env)
 
         wf_ctrl = wf_base.get_controller(self.wf_ex)
 
@@ -356,6 +355,16 @@ class Workflow(object):
         )
 
 
+def _update_task_environment(task_ex, env):
+    if env is None:
+        return
+
+    task_ex.in_context['__env'] = utils.merge_dicts(
+        task_ex.in_context['__env'],
+        env
+    )
+
+
 def _get_environment(params):
     env = params.get('env', {})
 
diff --git a/mistral/workflow/base.py b/mistral/workflow/base.py
index eeead51e2..06d72d058 100644
--- a/mistral/workflow/base.py
+++ b/mistral/workflow/base.py
@@ -85,36 +85,29 @@ class WorkflowController(object):
 
         self.wf_spec = wf_spec
 
-    @staticmethod
-    def _update_task_ex_env(task_ex, env):
-        if not env:
-            return task_ex
-
-        task_ex.in_context['__env'] = u.merge_dicts(
-            task_ex.in_context['__env'],
-            env
-        )
-
-        return task_ex
-
     @profiler.trace('workflow-controller-continue-workflow')
-    def continue_workflow(self, env=None):
+    def continue_workflow(self):
         """Calculates a list of commands to continue the workflow.
 
         Given a workflow specification this method makes required analysis
         according to this workflow type rules and identifies a list of
         commands needed to continue the workflow.
 
-        :param env: A set of environment variables to overwrite.
         :return: List of workflow commands (instances of
             mistral.workflow.commands.WorkflowCommand).
         """
+
+        # TODO(rakhmerov): We now use this method for two cases:
+        # 1) to handle task completion
+        # 2) to resume a workflow after it's been paused
+        # Moving forward we need to introduce a separate method for
+        # resuming a workflow because it won't be operating with
+        # any concrete tasks that caused this operation.
+
         if self._is_paused_or_completed():
             return []
 
-        # TODO(rakhmerov): Get rid of 'env' parameter completely, WF controller
-        # should not be updating any DB objects.
-        return self._find_next_commands(env=env)
+        return self._find_next_commands()
 
     def rerun_tasks(self, task_execs, reset=True):
         """Gets commands to rerun existing task executions.
@@ -197,13 +190,12 @@ class WorkflowController(object):
         raise NotImplementedError
 
     @abc.abstractmethod
-    def _find_next_commands(self, env=None):
+    def _find_next_commands(self):
         """Finds commands that should run next.
 
         A concrete algorithm of finding such tasks depends on a concrete
         workflow controller.
 
-        :param env: A set of environment variables to overwrite.
         :return: List of workflow commands.
         """
         # Add all tasks in IDLE state.
@@ -212,11 +204,6 @@ class WorkflowController(object):
             states.IDLE
         )
 
-        # TODO(rakhmerov): We should not be updating any DB objects in a WF
-        # controller.
-        for task_ex in idle_tasks:
-            self._update_task_ex_env(task_ex, env)
-
         return [
             commands.RunExistingTask(self.wf_ex, self.wf_spec, t)
             for t in idle_tasks
diff --git a/mistral/workflow/direct_workflow.py b/mistral/workflow/direct_workflow.py
index cbb1d7d23..3ef8990e1 100644
--- a/mistral/workflow/direct_workflow.py
+++ b/mistral/workflow/direct_workflow.py
@@ -65,10 +65,8 @@ class DirectWorkflowController(base.WorkflowController):
             self.wf_spec.get_tasks()[t_ex_candidate.name]
         )
 
-    def _find_next_commands(self, env=None):
-        cmds = super(DirectWorkflowController, self)._find_next_commands(
-            env=env
-        )
+    def _find_next_commands(self):
+        cmds = super(DirectWorkflowController, self)._find_next_commands()
 
         if not self.wf_ex.task_executions:
             return self._find_start_commands()
diff --git a/mistral/workflow/reverse_workflow.py b/mistral/workflow/reverse_workflow.py
index 5848f5db0..c94a1195a 100644
--- a/mistral/workflow/reverse_workflow.py
+++ b/mistral/workflow/reverse_workflow.py
@@ -40,15 +40,13 @@ class ReverseWorkflowController(base.WorkflowController):
 
     __workflow_type__ = "reverse"
 
-    def _find_next_commands(self, env=None):
+    def _find_next_commands(self):
         """Finds all tasks with resolved dependencies.
 
          This method finds all tasks with resolved dependencies and
          returns them in the form of workflow commands.
         """
-        cmds = super(ReverseWorkflowController, self)._find_next_commands(
-            env=env
-        )
+        cmds = super(ReverseWorkflowController, self)._find_next_commands()
 
         task_specs = self._find_task_specs_with_satisfied_dependencies()