diff --git a/.changes/unreleased/Under the Hood-20251105-165014.yaml b/.changes/unreleased/Under the Hood-20251105-165014.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..cf8c7dc2146
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changes/unreleased/Under the Hood-20251105-165014.yaml	
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+kind: Under the Hood
+body: Support DBT_ENGINE prefix for record-mode env vars
+time: 2025-11-05T16:50:14.992799-05:00
+custom:
+    Author: michelleark
+    Issue: "12149"
diff --git a/core/dbt/cli/requires.py b/core/dbt/cli/requires.py
index 6b722c46773..8a7e27f81b2 100644
--- a/core/dbt/cli/requires.py
+++ b/core/dbt/cli/requires.py
@@ -136,12 +136,16 @@ def setup_record_replay():
 
     recorder: Optional[Recorder] = None
     if rec_mode == RecorderMode.REPLAY:
-        previous_recording_path = os.environ.get("DBT_RECORDER_FILE_PATH")
+        previous_recording_path = os.environ.get(
+            "DBT_ENGINE_RECORDER_FILE_PATH"
+        ) or os.environ.get("DBT_RECORDER_FILE_PATH")
         recorder = Recorder(
             RecorderMode.REPLAY, types=rec_types, previous_recording_path=previous_recording_path
         )
     elif rec_mode == RecorderMode.DIFF:
-        previous_recording_path = os.environ.get("DBT_RECORDER_FILE_PATH")
+        previous_recording_path = os.environ.get(
+            "DBT_ENGINE_RECORDER_FILE_PATH"
+        ) or os.environ.get("DBT_RECORDER_FILE_PATH")
         # ensure types match the previous recording
         types = get_record_types_from_dict(previous_recording_path)
         recorder = Recorder(