diff --git a/plugin/env.go b/plugin/env.go
index 12f39067..85ea1c89 100644
--- a/plugin/env.go
+++ b/plugin/env.go
@@ -1,21 +1,31 @@
 package plugin
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
+	"golang.org/x/exp/maps"
 	"log"
-	"math"
 	"os"
 	"strconv"
+	"strings"
 )
 
 const (
 	envMaxConcurrentConnection      = "STEAMPIPE_MAX_CONCURRENT_CONNECTIONS"
-	envMaxMemoryMb                  = "STEAMPIPE_MAX_MEMORY_MB"
 	envFreeMemInterval              = "STEAMPIPE_FREE_MEM_INTERVAL"
-	defaultMaxConcurrentConnections = 25            // default to 25 concurrent connections
-	defaultMaxMemoryMb              = math.MaxInt64 // default to no memory limit
-	defaultFreeMemInterval          = 100           // default to freeing memory every 100 rows
+	defaultMaxConcurrentConnections = 25  // default to 25 concurrent connections
+	defaultFreeMemInterval          = 100 // default to freeing memory every 100 rows
+
+	EnvDiagnosticsLevel       = "STEAMPIPE_DIAGNOSTIC_LEVEL"
+	EnvLegacyDiagnosticsLevel = "STEAMPIPE_DIAGNOSTICS_LEVEL"
+	DiagnosticsAll            = "ALL"
+	DiagnosticsNone           = "NONE"
 )
 
+var ValidDiagnosticsLevels = map[string]struct{}{
+	DiagnosticsAll:  {},
+	DiagnosticsNone: {},
+}
+
 func getMaxConcurrentConnections() int {
 	maxConcurrentConnections, _ := strconv.Atoi(os.Getenv(envMaxConcurrentConnection))
 	if maxConcurrentConnections == 0 {
@@ -25,17 +35,6 @@ func getMaxConcurrentConnections() int {
 	return maxConcurrentConnections
 }
 
-func GetMaxMemoryBytes() int64 {
-	maxMemoryMb, _ := strconv.Atoi(os.Getenv(envMaxMemoryMb))
-	if maxMemoryMb == 0 {
-		log.Printf("[TRACE] No memory limit set")
-		maxMemoryMb = defaultMaxMemoryMb
-	} else {
-		log.Printf("[TRACE] Setting max memory %dMb", maxMemoryMb)
-	}
-	return int64(1024 * 1024 * maxMemoryMb)
-}
-
 func GetFreeMemInterval() int64 {
 	freeMemInterval := defaultFreeMemInterval
 	intervalEnv, ok := os.LookupEnv(envFreeMemInterval)
@@ -48,3 +47,23 @@ func GetFreeMemInterval() int64 {
 
 	return int64(freeMemInterval)
 }
+
+func loadDiagnosticsEnvVar() string {
+	// load both the legacy and current diagnostics env vars
+	diagnostics := strings.ToUpper(os.Getenv(EnvLegacyDiagnosticsLevel))
+	if newDiagnostics, isSet := os.LookupEnv(EnvDiagnosticsLevel); isSet {
+		diagnostics = strings.ToUpper(newDiagnostics)
+	}
+	return diagnostics
+}
+
+func ValidateDiagnosticsEnvVar() error {
+	diagnostics := loadDiagnosticsEnvVar()
+	if diagnostics == "" {
+		return nil
+	}
+	if _, isValid := ValidDiagnosticsLevels[strings.ToUpper(diagnostics)]; !isValid {
+		return fmt.Errorf(`invalid value of '%s' (%s), must be one of: %s`, EnvDiagnosticsLevel, diagnostics, strings.Join(maps.Keys(ValidDiagnosticsLevels), ", "))
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/plugin/row_with_metadata.go b/plugin/row_with_metadata.go
index 41c5fa98..3e618bc5 100644
--- a/plugin/row_with_metadata.go
+++ b/plugin/row_with_metadata.go
@@ -1,21 +1,5 @@
 package plugin
 
-import (
-	"os"
-	"strings"
-)
-
-const (
-	EnvDiagnosticsLevel = "STEAMPIPE_DIAGNOSTICS_LEVEL"
-	DiagnosticsAll      = "ALL"
-	DiagnosticsNone     = "NONE"
-)
-
-var ValidDiagnosticsLevels = map[string]struct{}{
-	DiagnosticsAll:  {},
-	DiagnosticsNone: {},
-}
-
 type hydrateMetadata struct {
 	Type         string            `json:"type"`
 	FuncName     string            `json:"function_name"`
@@ -38,7 +22,7 @@ func newRowCtxData(rd *rowData) *rowCtxData {
 		Connection: d.Connection.Name,
 	}
 
-	if strings.ToUpper(os.Getenv(EnvDiagnosticsLevel)) == DiagnosticsAll {
+	if loadDiagnosticsEnvVar() == DiagnosticsAll {
 		calls := append([]*hydrateMetadata{d.fetchMetadata}, rd.hydrateMetadata...)
 		if d.parentHydrateMetadata != nil {
 			calls = append([]*hydrateMetadata{d.parentHydrateMetadata}, calls...)