diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0b239ca8..48785efd 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -519,9 +519,7 @@ Comment on a pull request.
 gh pr 1 --comment "Merged, thank you!"
 ```
 
-Submit a pull request using your default git editor (`git config --global core.editor`) by passing an empty `--comment`
-
--   To disable this functionality of opening your editor add `"use_editor": false` to `~/.gh.json`
+Submit a pull request using your [default editor](#set-default-editor-to-use-when-creating-a-new-message) by passing an empty `--comment`
 
 ```
 gh pr 1 --comment
@@ -611,9 +609,7 @@ Submit a pull request using the current branch.
 gh pr --submit eduardolundgren --title 'Fix #32' --description 'Awesome fix'
 ```
 
-Submit a pull request using your default git editor (`git config --global core.editor`) by passing an empty `--title` and or `--description`
-
--   To disable this functionality of opening your editor add `"use_editor": false` to `~/.gh.json`
+Submit a pull request using your [default editor](#set-default-editor-to-use-when-creating-a-new-message) by passing an empty `--title` and or `--description`
 
 ```
 gh pr --submit eduardolundgren --title --description
@@ -744,9 +740,7 @@ gh issue
 gh is 'Node GH rocks!' 'Body with **Markdown** support'
 ```
 
-Create a new issue using your default git editor (`git config --global core.editor`) by passing an empty `--message` (_also works with an empty title_)
-
--   To disable this functionality of opening your editor add `"use_editor": false` to `~/.gh.json`
+Create a new issue using your [default editor](#set-default-editor-to-use-when-creating-a-new-message) by passing an empty `--message` (_also works with an empty title_)
 
 ```
 gh is --new --title 'Node GH rocks!' --message
@@ -788,9 +782,7 @@ Comment on an issue of the current repository.
 gh is 1 --comment 'Node GH rocks!'
 ```
 
-Comment on an issue using your default git editor (`git config --global core.editor`) by passing an empty `--comment` (_also works with an empty title_)
-
--   To disable this functionality of opening your editor add `"use_editor": false` to `~/.gh.json`
+Comment on an issue using your [default editor](#set-default-editor-to-use-when-creating-a-new-message) by passing an empty `--comment` (_also works with an empty title_)
 
 ```
 gh is 1 --comment
@@ -1709,6 +1701,12 @@ Required for prompt commands.
 "pull_branch_name_prefix": "pr-"
 ```
 
+### Set default editor to use when creating a new message
+
+-   For certain tasks like opening a pull request when you omit the title or description, we will open a new file for you to create the message in.
+-   We first check enviroment variables for the default editor: `$EDITOR` or `$VISUAL` and fallback to the default git editor `git config --global core.editor`
+-   To **disable** this functionality of opening your editor add `"use_editor": false` to `~/.gh.json`
+
 ### Insert signature below issue comment.
 
 ```javascript
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 0c839e49..9fc7d693 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
     "name": "gh",
-    "version": "2.8.1",
+    "version": "2.8.2",
     "lockfileVersion": 1,
     "requires": true,
     "dependencies": {
diff --git a/src/utils.ts b/src/utils.ts
index 11dcf052..75adbd75 100644
--- a/src/utils.ts
+++ b/src/utils.ts
@@ -77,9 +77,14 @@ export function openFileInEditor(fileName: string, msg: string): string {
 
         writeFileSync(filePath, msg)
 
-        const editor = spawnSync('git', ['config', '--global', 'core.editor']).stdout
+        const editor =
+            process.env.EDITOR ||
+            process.env.VISUAL ||
+            spawnSync('git', ['config', '--global', 'core.editor']).stdout
 
-        execSyncInteractiveStream(`${editor} "${filePath}"`)
+        if (editor) {
+            execSyncInteractiveStream(`${editor} "${filePath}"`)
+        }
 
         const newFileContents = readFileSync(filePath).toString()