diff --git a/control_plane/src/pageserver.rs b/control_plane/src/pageserver.rs
index 958f873b6a..dd6c8cf0a3 100644
--- a/control_plane/src/pageserver.rs
+++ b/control_plane/src/pageserver.rs
@@ -74,110 +74,6 @@ impl PageServerNode {
         }
     }
 
-    /// Merge overrides provided by the user on the command line with our default overides derived from neon_local configuration.
-    ///
-    /// These all end up on the command line of the `pageserver` binary.
-    fn neon_local_overrides(&self) -> Vec<String> {
-        // FIXME: the paths should be shell-escaped to handle paths with spaces, quotas etc.
-        let pg_distrib_dir_param = format!(
-            "pg_distrib_dir='{}'",
-            self.env.pg_distrib_dir_raw().display()
-        );
-
-        let PageServerConf {
-            id,
-            listen_pg_addr,
-            listen_http_addr,
-            pg_auth_type,
-            http_auth_type,
-            virtual_file_io_engine,
-            get_vectored_impl,
-            get_impl,
-            validate_vectored_get,
-        } = &self.conf;
-
-        let id = format!("id={}", id);
-
-        let http_auth_type_param = format!("http_auth_type='{}'", http_auth_type);
-        let listen_http_addr_param = format!("listen_http_addr='{}'", listen_http_addr);
-
-        let pg_auth_type_param = format!("pg_auth_type='{}'", pg_auth_type);
-        let listen_pg_addr_param = format!("listen_pg_addr='{}'", listen_pg_addr);
-        let virtual_file_io_engine = if let Some(virtual_file_io_engine) = virtual_file_io_engine {
-            format!("virtual_file_io_engine='{virtual_file_io_engine}'")
-        } else {
-            String::new()
-        };
-        let get_vectored_impl = if let Some(get_vectored_impl) = get_vectored_impl {
-            format!("get_vectored_impl='{get_vectored_impl}'")
-        } else {
-            String::new()
-        };
-        let get_impl = if let Some(get_impl) = get_impl {
-            format!("get_impl='{get_impl}'")
-        } else {
-            String::new()
-        };
-        let validate_vectored_get = if let Some(validate_vectored_get) = validate_vectored_get {
-            format!("validate_vectored_get={validate_vectored_get}")
-        } else {
-            String::new()
-        };
-
-        let broker_endpoint_param = format!("broker_endpoint='{}'", self.env.broker.client_url());
-
-        let mut overrides = vec![
-            id,
-            pg_distrib_dir_param,
-            http_auth_type_param,
-            pg_auth_type_param,
-            listen_http_addr_param,
-            listen_pg_addr_param,
-            broker_endpoint_param,
-            virtual_file_io_engine,
-            get_vectored_impl,
-            get_impl,
-            validate_vectored_get,
-        ];
-
-        if let Some(control_plane_api) = &self.env.control_plane_api {
-            overrides.push(format!(
-                "control_plane_api='{}'",
-                control_plane_api.as_str()
-            ));
-
-            // Storage controller uses the same auth as pageserver: if JWT is enabled
-            // for us, we will also need it to talk to them.
-            if matches!(http_auth_type, AuthType::NeonJWT) {
-                let jwt_token = self
-                    .env
-                    .generate_auth_token(&Claims::new(None, Scope::GenerationsApi))
-                    .unwrap();
-                overrides.push(format!("control_plane_api_token='{}'", jwt_token));
-            }
-        }
-
-        if !cli_overrides
-            .iter()
-            .any(|c| c.starts_with("remote_storage"))
-        {
-            overrides.push(format!(
-                "remote_storage={{local_path='../{PAGESERVER_REMOTE_STORAGE_DIR}'}}"
-            ));
-        }
-
-        if *http_auth_type != AuthType::Trust || *pg_auth_type != AuthType::Trust {
-            // Keys are generated in the toplevel repo dir, pageservers' workdirs
-            // are one level below that, so refer to keys with ../
-            overrides.push("auth_validation_public_key_path='../auth_public_key.pem'".to_owned());
-        }
-
-        // Apply the user-provided overrides
-        overrides.extend(cli_overrides.iter().map(|&c| c.to_owned()));
-
-        overrides
-    }
-
     /// Initializes a pageserver node by creating its config with the overrides provided.
     pub fn initialize(&self) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         // First, run `pageserver --init` and wait for it to write a config into FS and exit.
@@ -219,7 +115,124 @@ impl PageServerNode {
         let datadir_path_str = datadir.to_str().with_context(|| {
             format!("Cannot start pageserver node {node_id} in path that has no string representation: {datadir:?}")
         })?;
-        let mut args = self.pageserver_basic_args(datadir_path_str);
+        let mut args = {
+            let this = &self;
+            let mut args = vec![Cow::Borrowed("-D"), Cow::Borrowed(datadir_path_str)];
+
+            let overrides = {
+                let this = &this;
+                // FIXME: the paths should be shell-escaped to handle paths with spaces, quotas etc.
+                let pg_distrib_dir_param = format!(
+                    "pg_distrib_dir='{}'",
+                    this.env.pg_distrib_dir_raw().display()
+                );
+
+                let PageServerConf {
+                    id,
+                    listen_pg_addr,
+                    listen_http_addr,
+                    pg_auth_type,
+                    http_auth_type,
+                    virtual_file_io_engine,
+                    get_vectored_impl,
+                    get_impl,
+                    validate_vectored_get,
+                } = &this.conf;
+
+                let id = format!("id={}", id);
+
+                let http_auth_type_param = format!("http_auth_type='{}'", http_auth_type);
+                let listen_http_addr_param = format!("listen_http_addr='{}'", listen_http_addr);
+
+                let pg_auth_type_param = format!("pg_auth_type='{}'", pg_auth_type);
+                let listen_pg_addr_param = format!("listen_pg_addr='{}'", listen_pg_addr);
+                let virtual_file_io_engine =
+                    if let Some(virtual_file_io_engine) = virtual_file_io_engine {
+                        format!("virtual_file_io_engine='{virtual_file_io_engine}'")
+                    } else {
+                        String::new()
+                    };
+                let get_vectored_impl = if let Some(get_vectored_impl) = get_vectored_impl {
+                    format!("get_vectored_impl='{get_vectored_impl}'")
+                } else {
+                    String::new()
+                };
+                let get_impl = if let Some(get_impl) = get_impl {
+                    format!("get_impl='{get_impl}'")
+                } else {
+                    String::new()
+                };
+                let validate_vectored_get =
+                    if let Some(validate_vectored_get) = validate_vectored_get {
+                        format!("validate_vectored_get={validate_vectored_get}")
+                    } else {
+                        String::new()
+                    };
+
+                let broker_endpoint_param =
+                    format!("broker_endpoint='{}'", this.env.broker.client_url());
+
+                let mut overrides = vec![
+                    id,
+                    pg_distrib_dir_param,
+                    http_auth_type_param,
+                    pg_auth_type_param,
+                    listen_http_addr_param,
+                    listen_pg_addr_param,
+                    broker_endpoint_param,
+                    virtual_file_io_engine,
+                    get_vectored_impl,
+                    get_impl,
+                    validate_vectored_get,
+                ];
+
+                if let Some(control_plane_api) = &this.env.control_plane_api {
+                    overrides.push(format!(
+                        "control_plane_api='{}'",
+                        control_plane_api.as_str()
+                    ));
+
+                    // Storage controller uses the same auth as pageserver: if JWT is enabled
+                    // for us, we will also need it to talk to them.
+                    if matches!(http_auth_type, AuthType::NeonJWT) {
+                        let jwt_token = this
+                            .env
+                            .generate_auth_token(&Claims::new(None, Scope::GenerationsApi))
+                            .unwrap();
+                        overrides.push(format!("control_plane_api_token='{}'", jwt_token));
+                    }
+                }
+
+                if !config_overrides
+                    .iter()
+                    .any(|c| c.starts_with("remote_storage"))
+                {
+                    overrides.push(format!(
+                        "remote_storage={{local_path='../{PAGESERVER_REMOTE_STORAGE_DIR}'}}"
+                    ));
+                }
+
+                if *http_auth_type != AuthType::Trust || *pg_auth_type != AuthType::Trust {
+                    // Keys are generated in the toplevel repo dir, pageservers' workdirs
+                    // are one level below that, so refer to keys with ../
+                    overrides.push(
+                        "auth_validation_public_key_path='../auth_public_key.pem'".to_owned(),
+                    );
+                }
+
+                // Apply the user-provided overrides
+                overrides.extend(config_overrides.iter().map(|&c| c.to_owned()));
+
+                overrides
+            };
+
+            for config_override in overrides {
+                args.push(Cow::Borrowed("--config-override"));
+                args.push(Cow::Owned(config_override));
+            }
+
+            args
+        };
         args.push(Cow::Borrowed("--init"));
 
         let init_output = Command::new(self.env.pageserver_bin())
@@ -279,12 +292,16 @@ impl PageServerNode {
                 self.conf.id, datadir,
             )
         })?;
-        let args = self.pageserver_basic_args(datadir_path_str);
+        let mut args = vec!["-D", datadir_path_str];
+        for config_override in config_overrides {
+            args.push("--config-override");
+            args.push(*config_override);
+        }
         background_process::start_process(
             "pageserver",
             &datadir,
             &self.env.pageserver_bin(),
-            args.iter().map(Cow::as_ref),
+            args,
             self.pageserver_env_variables()?,
             background_process::InitialPidFile::Expect(self.pid_file()),
             || async {
@@ -301,18 +318,6 @@ impl PageServerNode {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    fn pageserver_basic_args<'a>(&self, datadir_path_str: &'a str) -> Vec<Cow<'a, str>> {
-        let mut args = vec![Cow::Borrowed("-D"), Cow::Borrowed(datadir_path_str)];
-
-        let overrides = self.neon_local_overrides();
-        for config_override in overrides {
-            args.push(Cow::Borrowed("-c"));
-            args.push(Cow::Owned(config_override));
-        }
-
-        args
-    }
-
     fn pageserver_env_variables(&self) -> anyhow::Result<Vec<(String, String)>> {
         // FIXME: why is this tied to pageserver's auth type? Whether or not the safekeeper
         // needs a token, and how to generate that token, seems independent to whether
diff --git a/test_runner/fixtures/neon_fixtures.py b/test_runner/fixtures/neon_fixtures.py
index 7416eac76d..c3e16385e7 100644
--- a/test_runner/fixtures/neon_fixtures.py
+++ b/test_runner/fixtures/neon_fixtures.py
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ class NeonEnvBuilder:
         test_overlay_dir: Optional[Path] = None,
         pageserver_remote_storage: Optional[RemoteStorage] = None,
         # toml that will be decomposed into `--config-override` flags during `pageserver --init`
-        pageserver_init_overrides: Optional[str] = None,
+        pageserver_config_override: Optional[str] = None,
         num_safekeepers: int = 1,
         num_pageservers: int = 1,
         # Use non-standard SK ids to check for various parsing bugs
@@ -478,7 +478,7 @@ class NeonEnvBuilder:
         self.broker = broker
         self.run_id = run_id
         self.mock_s3_server: MockS3Server = mock_s3_server
-        self.pageserver_init_overrides = pageserver_init_overrides
+        self.pageserver_config_override = pageserver_config_override
         self.num_safekeepers = num_safekeepers
         self.num_pageservers = num_pageservers
         self.safekeepers_id_start = safekeepers_id_start
@@ -1134,7 +1134,7 @@ class NeonEnv:
         self.neon_cli.init(
             cfg,
             force=config.config_init_force,
-            pageserver_init_overrides=config.pageserver_init_overrides,
+            pageserver_config_override=config.pageserver_config_override,
         )
 
     def start(self):
@@ -1707,7 +1707,7 @@ class NeonCli(AbstractNeonCli):
         self,
         config: Dict[str, Any],
         force: Optional[str] = None,
-        pageserver_init_overrides: Optional[str] = None,
+        pageserver_config_override: Optional[str] = None,
     ) -> "subprocess.CompletedProcess[str]":
         with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(mode="w+") as tmp:
             tmp.write(toml.dumps(config))
@@ -1718,17 +1718,30 @@ class NeonCli(AbstractNeonCli):
             if force is not None:
                 cmd.extend(["--force", force])
 
-            storage = self.env.pageserver_remote_storage
+            remote_storage = self.env.pageserver_remote_storage
 
-            append_pageserver_param_overrides(
-                params_to_update=cmd,
-                remote_storage=storage,
-                pageserver_config_override=pageserver_init_overrides,
-            )
+            if remote_storage is not None:
+                remote_storage_toml_table = remote_storage_to_toml_inline_table(remote_storage)
+
+                cmd.append(
+                    f"--pageserver-config-override=remote_storage={remote_storage_toml_table}"
+                )
+
+            env_overrides = os.getenv("NEON_PAGESERVER_OVERRIDES")
+            if env_overrides is not None:
+                cmd += [
+                    f"--pageserver-config-override={o.strip()}" for o in env_overrides.split(";")
+                ]
+
+            if pageserver_config_override is not None:
+                cmd += [
+                    f"--pageserver-config-override={o.strip()}"
+                    for o in pageserver_config_override.split(";")
+                ]
 
             s3_env_vars = None
-            if isinstance(storage, S3Storage):
-                s3_env_vars = storage.access_env_vars()
+            if isinstance(remote_storage, S3Storage):
+                s3_env_vars = remote_storage.access_env_vars()
             res = self.raw_cli(cmd, extra_env_vars=s3_env_vars)
             res.check_returncode()
             return res
@@ -1750,10 +1763,6 @@ class NeonCli(AbstractNeonCli):
     ) -> "subprocess.CompletedProcess[str]":
         start_args = ["pageserver", "start", f"--id={id}"]
         storage = self.env.pageserver_remote_storage
-        append_pageserver_param_overrides(
-            params_to_update=start_args,
-            remote_storage=storage,
-        )
 
         if isinstance(storage, S3Storage):
             s3_env_vars = storage.access_env_vars()
@@ -2624,27 +2633,6 @@ class NeonPageserver(PgProtocol, LogUtils):
         )
 
 
-def append_pageserver_param_overrides(
-    params_to_update: List[str],
-    remote_storage: Optional[RemoteStorage],
-    pageserver_config_override: Optional[str] = None,
-):
-    if remote_storage is not None:
-        remote_storage_toml_table = remote_storage_to_toml_inline_table(remote_storage)
-
-        params_to_update.append(
-            f"--pageserver-config-override=remote_storage={remote_storage_toml_table}"
-        )
-    else:
-        params_to_update.append('--pageserver-config-override=remote_storage=""')
-
-    if pageserver_config_override is not None:
-        params_to_update += [
-            f"--pageserver-config-override={o.strip()}"
-            for o in pageserver_config_override.split(";")
-        ]
-
-
 class PgBin:
     """A helper class for executing postgres binaries"""
 
diff --git a/test_runner/performance/pageserver/pagebench/test_large_slru_basebackup.py b/test_runner/performance/pageserver/pagebench/test_large_slru_basebackup.py
index 2a5d8b719e..b66db4d0ab 100644
--- a/test_runner/performance/pageserver/pagebench/test_large_slru_basebackup.py
+++ b/test_runner/performance/pageserver/pagebench/test_large_slru_basebackup.py
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ def test_basebackup_with_high_slru_count(
     # configure cache sizes like in prod
     page_cache_size = 16384
     max_file_descriptors = 500000
-    neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = (
+    neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = (
         f"page_cache_size={page_cache_size}; max_file_descriptors={max_file_descriptors}; "
         f"get_vectored_impl='{get_vectored_impl}'; validate_vectored_get=false"
     )
diff --git a/test_runner/performance/pageserver/pagebench/test_pageserver_max_throughput_getpage_at_latest_lsn.py b/test_runner/performance/pageserver/pagebench/test_pageserver_max_throughput_getpage_at_latest_lsn.py
index 24394e1c16..1a0012397c 100644
--- a/test_runner/performance/pageserver/pagebench/test_pageserver_max_throughput_getpage_at_latest_lsn.py
+++ b/test_runner/performance/pageserver/pagebench/test_pageserver_max_throughput_getpage_at_latest_lsn.py
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ def test_pageserver_max_throughput_getpage_at_latest_lsn(
     # configure cache sizes like in prod
     page_cache_size = 16384
     max_file_descriptors = 500000
-    neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = (
+    neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = (
         f"page_cache_size={page_cache_size}; max_file_descriptors={max_file_descriptors}"
     )
     params.update(
diff --git a/test_runner/regress/test_branch_behind.py b/test_runner/regress/test_branch_behind.py
index 07d8bc277b..b79cad979f 100644
--- a/test_runner/regress/test_branch_behind.py
+++ b/test_runner/regress/test_branch_behind.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ from fixtures.utils import print_gc_result, query_scalar
 #
 def test_branch_behind(neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder):
     # Disable pitr, because here we want to test branch creation after GC
-    neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = "tenant_config={pitr_interval = '0 sec'}"
+    neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = "tenant_config={pitr_interval = '0 sec'}"
     env = neon_env_builder.init_start()
 
     error_regexes = [
diff --git a/test_runner/regress/test_compaction.py b/test_runner/regress/test_compaction.py
index 1e832f90b4..43a3323462 100644
--- a/test_runner/regress/test_compaction.py
+++ b/test_runner/regress/test_compaction.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ def test_pageserver_compaction_smoke(neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder):
 
     # Effectively disable the page cache to rely only on image layers
     # to shorten reads.
-    neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = """
+    neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = """
 page_cache_size=10
 """
 
diff --git a/test_runner/regress/test_gc_aggressive.py b/test_runner/regress/test_gc_aggressive.py
index 3faa8cc53c..c5070ee815 100644
--- a/test_runner/regress/test_gc_aggressive.py
+++ b/test_runner/regress/test_gc_aggressive.py
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ async def update_and_gc(env: NeonEnv, endpoint: Endpoint, timeline: TimelineId):
 #
 def test_gc_aggressive(neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder):
     # Disable pitr, because here we want to test branch creation after GC
-    neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = "tenant_config={pitr_interval = '0 sec'}"
+    neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = "tenant_config={pitr_interval = '0 sec'}"
     env = neon_env_builder.init_start()
     timeline = env.neon_cli.create_branch("test_gc_aggressive", "main")
     endpoint = env.endpoints.create_start("test_gc_aggressive")
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ def test_gc_aggressive(neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder):
 #
 def test_gc_index_upload(neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder):
     # Disable time-based pitr, we will use LSN-based thresholds in the manual GC calls
-    neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = "tenant_config={pitr_interval = '0 sec'}"
+    neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = "tenant_config={pitr_interval = '0 sec'}"
     num_index_uploads = 0
 
     neon_env_builder.enable_pageserver_remote_storage(RemoteStorageKind.LOCAL_FS)
diff --git a/test_runner/regress/test_local_file_cache.py b/test_runner/regress/test_local_file_cache.py
index 710bd4c847..76c6581448 100644
--- a/test_runner/regress/test_local_file_cache.py
+++ b/test_runner/regress/test_local_file_cache.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ from fixtures.utils import query_scalar
 def test_local_file_cache_unlink(neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder, build_type: str):
     if build_type == "debug":
         # Disable vectored read path cross validation since it makes the test time out.
-        neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = "validate_vectored_get=false"
+        neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = "validate_vectored_get=false"
 
     env = neon_env_builder.init_start()
 
diff --git a/test_runner/regress/test_old_request_lsn.py b/test_runner/regress/test_old_request_lsn.py
index 6e8c302186..391305c58a 100644
--- a/test_runner/regress/test_old_request_lsn.py
+++ b/test_runner/regress/test_old_request_lsn.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ from fixtures.utils import print_gc_result, query_scalar
 #
 def test_old_request_lsn(neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder):
     # Disable pitr, because here we want to test branch creation after GC
-    neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = "tenant_config={pitr_interval = '0 sec'}"
+    neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = "tenant_config={pitr_interval = '0 sec'}"
     env = neon_env_builder.init_start()
     env.neon_cli.create_branch("test_old_request_lsn", "main")
     endpoint = env.endpoints.create_start("test_old_request_lsn")
diff --git a/test_runner/regress/test_pageserver_config.py b/test_runner/regress/test_pageserver_config.py
index fab62d226f..c04348b488 100644
--- a/test_runner/regress/test_pageserver_config.py
+++ b/test_runner/regress/test_pageserver_config.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ from fixtures.neon_fixtures import (
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("kind", ["sync", "async"])
 def test_walredo_process_kind_config(neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder, kind: str):
-    neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = f"walredo_process_kind = '{kind}'"
+    neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = f"walredo_process_kind = '{kind}'"
     # ensure it starts
     env = neon_env_builder.init_start()
     # ensure the metric is set
diff --git a/test_runner/regress/test_pageserver_layer_rolling.py b/test_runner/regress/test_pageserver_layer_rolling.py
index 16f69d8259..c5dc0f2919 100644
--- a/test_runner/regress/test_pageserver_layer_rolling.py
+++ b/test_runner/regress/test_pageserver_layer_rolling.py
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ def test_total_size_limit(neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder):
     ephemeral_bytes_per_memory_kb = (max_dirty_data * 1024) // system_memory
     assert ephemeral_bytes_per_memory_kb > 0
 
-    neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = f"""
+    neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = f"""
         ephemeral_bytes_per_memory_kb={ephemeral_bytes_per_memory_kb}
         """
 
diff --git a/test_runner/regress/test_pageserver_metric_collection.py b/test_runner/regress/test_pageserver_metric_collection.py
index b5973e5241..c34ef46d07 100644
--- a/test_runner/regress/test_pageserver_metric_collection.py
+++ b/test_runner/regress/test_pageserver_metric_collection.py
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ def test_metric_collection(
     #
     # Disable time-based pitr, we will use the manual GC calls
     # to trigger remote storage operations in a controlled way
-    neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = f"""
+    neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = f"""
         metric_collection_interval="1s"
         metric_collection_endpoint="{metric_collection_endpoint}"
         metric_collection_bucket={remote_storage_to_toml_inline_table(neon_env_builder.pageserver_remote_storage)}
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ def test_metric_collection_cleans_up_tempfile(
     #
     # Disable time-based pitr, we will use the manual GC calls
     # to trigger remote storage operations in a controlled way
-    neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = f"""
+    neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = f"""
         metric_collection_interval="1s"
         metric_collection_endpoint="{metric_collection_endpoint}"
         cached_metric_collection_interval="0s"
diff --git a/test_runner/regress/test_pg_regress.py b/test_runner/regress/test_pg_regress.py
index f0debba00f..2b1b7fff34 100644
--- a/test_runner/regress/test_pg_regress.py
+++ b/test_runner/regress/test_pg_regress.py
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ def test_pg_regress(
 
     if build_type == "debug":
         # Disable vectored read path cross validation since it makes the test time out.
-        neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = "validate_vectored_get=false"
+        neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = "validate_vectored_get=false"
 
     neon_env_builder.enable_pageserver_remote_storage(s3_storage())
     neon_env_builder.enable_scrub_on_exit()
diff --git a/test_runner/regress/test_pitr_gc.py b/test_runner/regress/test_pitr_gc.py
index a2c37cc0f5..539ef3eda7 100644
--- a/test_runner/regress/test_pitr_gc.py
+++ b/test_runner/regress/test_pitr_gc.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ from fixtures.utils import print_gc_result, query_scalar
 #
 def test_pitr_gc(neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder):
     # Set pitr interval such that we need to keep the data
-    neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = (
+    neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = (
         "tenant_config={pitr_interval = '1 day', gc_horizon = 0}"
     )
 
diff --git a/test_runner/regress/test_recovery.py b/test_runner/regress/test_recovery.py
index bdcf03f27a..ab5c8be256 100644
--- a/test_runner/regress/test_recovery.py
+++ b/test_runner/regress/test_recovery.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ from fixtures.neon_fixtures import NeonEnvBuilder
 #
 def test_pageserver_recovery(neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder):
     # Override default checkpointer settings to run it more often
-    neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = "tenant_config={checkpoint_distance = 1048576}"
+    neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = "tenant_config={checkpoint_distance = 1048576}"
 
     env = neon_env_builder.init_start()
     env.pageserver.is_testing_enabled_or_skip()
diff --git a/test_runner/regress/test_remote_storage.py b/test_runner/regress/test_remote_storage.py
index 07a0a4fd98..ad4b4a42f1 100644
--- a/test_runner/regress/test_remote_storage.py
+++ b/test_runner/regress/test_remote_storage.py
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ def test_remote_storage_backup_and_restore(
     # Exercise retry code path by making all uploads and downloads fail for the
     # first time. The retries print INFO-messages to the log; we will check
     # that they are present after the test.
-    neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = "test_remote_failures=1"
+    neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = "test_remote_failures=1"
 
     data_id = 1
     data = "just some data"
diff --git a/test_runner/regress/test_tenant_conf.py b/test_runner/regress/test_tenant_conf.py
index 9c4385f999..fc099297e1 100644
--- a/test_runner/regress/test_tenant_conf.py
+++ b/test_runner/regress/test_tenant_conf.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ from fixtures.utils import wait_until
 def test_tenant_config(neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder):
     """Test per tenant configuration"""
     # set some non-default global config
-    neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = """
+    neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = """
 page_cache_size=444;
 wait_lsn_timeout='111 s';
 [tenant_config]
diff --git a/test_runner/regress/test_tenant_delete.py b/test_runner/regress/test_tenant_delete.py
index 22df441362..c115c0375b 100644
--- a/test_runner/regress/test_tenant_delete.py
+++ b/test_runner/regress/test_tenant_delete.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ def test_tenant_delete_smoke(
     neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder,
     pg_bin: PgBin,
 ):
-    neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = "test_remote_failures=1"
+    neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = "test_remote_failures=1"
 
     remote_storage_kind = s3_storage()
     neon_env_builder.enable_pageserver_remote_storage(remote_storage_kind)
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ def test_delete_tenant_exercise_crash_safety_failpoints(
     pg_bin: PgBin,
 ):
     if simulate_failures:
-        neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = "test_remote_failures=1"
+        neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = "test_remote_failures=1"
 
     neon_env_builder.enable_pageserver_remote_storage(remote_storage_kind)
 
diff --git a/test_runner/regress/test_tenant_detach.py b/test_runner/regress/test_tenant_detach.py
index 30083d931c..0ba0108651 100644
--- a/test_runner/regress/test_tenant_detach.py
+++ b/test_runner/regress/test_tenant_detach.py
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ def test_tenant_reattach(neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder, mode: str):
     # Exercise retry code path by making all uploads and downloads fail for the
     # first time. The retries print INFO-messages to the log; we will check
     # that they are present after the test.
-    neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = "test_remote_failures=1"
+    neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = "test_remote_failures=1"
 
     env = neon_env_builder.init_start()
     pageserver_http = env.pageserver.http_client()
diff --git a/test_runner/regress/test_tenant_size.py b/test_runner/regress/test_tenant_size.py
index f7c020dd81..53da548524 100644
--- a/test_runner/regress/test_tenant_size.py
+++ b/test_runner/regress/test_tenant_size.py
@@ -502,7 +502,7 @@ def test_get_tenant_size_with_multiple_branches(
 
     gc_horizon = 128 * 1024
 
-    neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = f"tenant_config={{compaction_period='0s', gc_period='0s', pitr_interval='0sec', gc_horizon={gc_horizon}}}"
+    neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = f"tenant_config={{compaction_period='0s', gc_period='0s', pitr_interval='0sec', gc_horizon={gc_horizon}}}"
 
     env = neon_env_builder.init_start()
 
diff --git a/test_runner/regress/test_tenants.py b/test_runner/regress/test_tenants.py
index 92c6553530..2832304dcc 100644
--- a/test_runner/regress/test_tenants.py
+++ b/test_runner/regress/test_tenants.py
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ def test_tenants_normal_work(neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder):
 
 def test_metrics_normal_work(neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder):
     neon_env_builder.num_safekeepers = 3
-    neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = "availability_zone='test_ps_az'"
+    neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = "availability_zone='test_ps_az'"
 
     env = neon_env_builder.init_start()
     tenant_1, _ = env.neon_cli.create_tenant()
diff --git a/test_runner/regress/test_tenants_with_remote_storage.py b/test_runner/regress/test_tenants_with_remote_storage.py
index e8a0d2e25b..d16978d02a 100644
--- a/test_runner/regress/test_tenants_with_remote_storage.py
+++ b/test_runner/regress/test_tenants_with_remote_storage.py
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ def test_tenants_attached_after_download(neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder):
     # Exercise retry code path by making all uploads and downloads fail for the
     # first time. The retries print INFO-messages to the log; we will check
     # that they are present after the test.
-    neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = "test_remote_failures=1"
+    neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = "test_remote_failures=1"
 
     ##### First start, insert secret data and upload it to the remote storage
     env = neon_env_builder.init_start()
diff --git a/test_runner/regress/test_threshold_based_eviction.py b/test_runner/regress/test_threshold_based_eviction.py
index 8063b09ce9..7bf49a0874 100644
--- a/test_runner/regress/test_threshold_based_eviction.py
+++ b/test_runner/regress/test_threshold_based_eviction.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ def test_threshold_based_eviction(
     # imitates its accesses. We'll use a non-existent endpoint to make it fail.
     # The synthetic size calculation will run regardless.
     host, port = httpserver_listen_address
-    neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = f"""
+    neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = f"""
         metric_collection_interval="1s"
         synthetic_size_calculation_interval="2s"
         metric_collection_endpoint="http://{host}:{port}/nonexistent"
diff --git a/test_runner/regress/test_timeline_size.py b/test_runner/regress/test_timeline_size.py
index 4a6500414d..628c484fbd 100644
--- a/test_runner/regress/test_timeline_size.py
+++ b/test_runner/regress/test_timeline_size.py
@@ -415,7 +415,7 @@ def test_timeline_physical_size_post_compaction(neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder
 
     # Disable background compaction as we don't want it to happen after `get_physical_size` request
     # and before checking the expected size on disk, which makes the assertion failed
-    neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = (
+    neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = (
         "tenant_config={checkpoint_distance=100000, compaction_period='10m'}"
     )
 
@@ -462,7 +462,7 @@ def test_timeline_physical_size_post_gc(neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder):
 
     # Disable background compaction and GC as we don't want it to happen after `get_physical_size` request
     # and before checking the expected size on disk, which makes the assertion failed
-    neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = "tenant_config={checkpoint_distance=100000, compaction_period='0s', gc_period='0s', pitr_interval='1s'}"
+    neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = "tenant_config={checkpoint_distance=100000, compaction_period='0s', gc_period='0s', pitr_interval='1s'}"
 
     env = neon_env_builder.init_start()
     pageserver_http = env.pageserver.http_client()
@@ -704,7 +704,7 @@ def test_ondemand_activation(neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder):
 
     # We will run with the limit set to 1, so that once we have one tenant stuck
     # in a pausable failpoint, the rest are prevented from proceeding through warmup.
-    neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = "concurrent_tenant_warmup = '1'"
+    neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = "concurrent_tenant_warmup = '1'"
 
     env = neon_env_builder.init_start()
     pageserver_http = env.pageserver.http_client()
@@ -958,7 +958,7 @@ def test_timeline_logical_size_task_priority(neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder):
 
 
 def test_eager_attach_does_not_queue_up(neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder):
-    neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = "concurrent_tenant_warmup = '1'"
+    neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = "concurrent_tenant_warmup = '1'"
 
     env = neon_env_builder.init_start()
 
@@ -1036,7 +1036,7 @@ def test_eager_attach_does_not_queue_up(neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder):
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("activation_method", ["endpoint", "branch", "delete"])
 def test_lazy_attach_activation(neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder, activation_method: str):
     # env.initial_tenant will take up this permit when attaching with lazy because of a failpoint activated after restart
-    neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = "concurrent_tenant_warmup = '1'"
+    neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = "concurrent_tenant_warmup = '1'"
 
     env = neon_env_builder.init_start()
 
diff --git a/test_runner/regress/test_wal_receiver.py b/test_runner/regress/test_wal_receiver.py
index 894c9c03a8..7ac6e6332c 100644
--- a/test_runner/regress/test_wal_receiver.py
+++ b/test_runner/regress/test_wal_receiver.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ from fixtures.types import Lsn, TenantId
 # Ensures that walreceiver does not run without any data inserted and only starts after the insertion.
 def test_pageserver_lsn_wait_error_start(neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder):
     # Trigger WAL wait timeout faster
-    neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = "wait_lsn_timeout = '1s'"
+    neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = "wait_lsn_timeout = '1s'"
     env = neon_env_builder.init_start()
     env.pageserver.http_client()
 
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ def test_pageserver_lsn_wait_error_start(neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder):
 # Kills one of the safekeepers and ensures that only the active ones are printed in the state.
 def test_pageserver_lsn_wait_error_safekeeper_stop(neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder):
     # Trigger WAL wait timeout faster
-    neon_env_builder.pageserver_init_overrides = """
+    neon_env_builder.pageserver_config_override = """
         wait_lsn_timeout = "1s"
         tenant_config={walreceiver_connect_timeout = "2s", lagging_wal_timeout = "2s"}
     """