diff --git a/src/main/bash/sdkman-init.sh b/src/main/bash/sdkman-init.sh
index ff31b7ad..f2f3b5d8 100644
--- a/src/main/bash/sdkman-init.sh
+++ b/src/main/bash/sdkman-init.sh
@@ -113,6 +113,8 @@ else
 		__sdkman_echo_debug "Overwriting candidates cache with: $SDKMAN_CANDIDATES_CSV"
 		echo "$SDKMAN_CANDIDATES_CSV" > "$SDKMAN_CANDIDATES_CACHE"
 		unset CANDIDATES_URI
+	else
+	    SDKMAN_CANDIDATES_CSV=$(cat "$SDKMAN_CANDIDATES_CACHE")
 	fi
 fi
 
diff --git a/src/test/groovy/sdkman/specs/CandidatesCacheBootstrapSpec.groovy b/src/test/groovy/sdkman/specs/CandidatesCacheBootstrapSpec.groovy
index 87919567..4f1f3a6c 100644
--- a/src/test/groovy/sdkman/specs/CandidatesCacheBootstrapSpec.groovy
+++ b/src/test/groovy/sdkman/specs/CandidatesCacheBootstrapSpec.groovy
@@ -35,10 +35,14 @@ class CandidatesCacheBootstrapSpec extends SdkmanEnvSpecification {
 
         when:
         bash.execute("source $bootstrapScript")
+        bash.execute('echo $SDKMAN_CANDIDATES_CSV')
 
         then:
         candidatesCache.exists()
         candidatesCache.text.contains("gradle,sbt")
+
+        and:
+        bash.output.contains "gradle,sbt"
     }
 
     void "should fetch and store candidates in cache if cache is empty"() {
@@ -54,10 +58,14 @@ class CandidatesCacheBootstrapSpec extends SdkmanEnvSpecification {
 
         when:
         bash.execute("source $bootstrapScript")
+        bash.execute('echo $SDKMAN_CANDIDATES_CSV')
 
         then:
         candidatesCache.exists()
         candidatesCache.text.contains("groovy,scala")
+
+        and:
+        bash.output.contains("groovy,scala")
     }
 
     void "should fetch candidates and refresh cache if older than a day"() {
@@ -76,10 +84,14 @@ class CandidatesCacheBootstrapSpec extends SdkmanEnvSpecification {
 
         when:
         bash.execute("source $bootstrapScript")
+        bash.execute('echo $SDKMAN_CANDIDATES_CSV')
 
         then:
         candidatesCache.exists()
         candidatesCache.text.contains('groovy,scala')
+
+        and:
+        bash.output.contains("groovy,scala")
     }
 
     void "should ignore candidates if api is offline"() {
@@ -99,9 +111,13 @@ class CandidatesCacheBootstrapSpec extends SdkmanEnvSpecification {
 
         when:
         bash.execute("source $bootstrapScript")
+        bash.execute('echo $SDKMAN_CANDIDATES_CSV')
 
         then:
-        candidatesCache.text.contains(candidates.join(','))
+        candidatesCache.text.contains('groovy,scala')
+
+        and:
+        bash.output.contains("groovy,scala")
     }
 
     void "should ignore candidates if api returns garbage"() {
@@ -121,9 +137,13 @@ class CandidatesCacheBootstrapSpec extends SdkmanEnvSpecification {
 
         when:
         bash.execute("source $bootstrapScript")
+        bash.execute('echo $SDKMAN_CANDIDATES_CSV')
 
         then:
-        candidatesCache.text.contains(candidates.join(','))
+        candidatesCache.text.contains('groovy,scala')
+
+        and:
+        bash.output.contains("groovy,scala")
     }
 
     void "should query api if not subscribed to beta channel"() {
@@ -144,9 +164,13 @@ class CandidatesCacheBootstrapSpec extends SdkmanEnvSpecification {
 
         when:
         bash.execute("source $bootstrapScript")
+        bash.execute('echo $SDKMAN_CANDIDATES_CSV')
 
         then:
         candidatesCache.exists()
         candidatesCache.text.contains('groovy,scala')
+
+        and:
+        bash.output.contains("groovy,scala")
     }
 }