diff --git a/src/mpsd_software_manager/mpsd_software.py b/src/mpsd_software_manager/mpsd_software.py
index eed840acf110bd2106401617a7ca3bf3634d300d..81e438695f7fc3dcbc2a3801c9a6e578df490aa5 100755
--- a/src/mpsd_software_manager/mpsd_software.py
+++ b/src/mpsd_software_manager/mpsd_software.py
@@ -1085,7 +1085,7 @@ def environment_status(mpsd_release: str, root_dir: Union[str, Path]) -> dict:
     return toolchain_map
 
 
-def initialize_environment(root_dir: Path) -> None:
+def initialise_environment(root_dir: Path) -> None:
     """Initialize the software environment.
 
     This creates a hidden file ``.mpsd-software-root`` to tag the location for
@@ -1258,7 +1258,7 @@ def main():
     # Check if the action is init
     # if so, call the init function and exit
     if args.action == "init":
-        initialize_environment(Path(os.getcwd()))
+        initialise_environment(Path(os.getcwd()))
         sys.exit(0)
 
     # root_dir is the place where this MPSD software instance has its root
diff --git a/tests/test_mpsd_software.py b/tests/test_mpsd_software.py
index 79fc35cea3ee48a3f7f625abd3495bd607bcf51c..35a6a7b3b2316e0fc6bb0c55d930d0a207cd8da5 100644
--- a/tests/test_mpsd_software.py
+++ b/tests/test_mpsd_software.py
@@ -520,10 +520,10 @@ def test_remove_environment(tmp_path):
     # done in test_install_environment_zlib
 
 
-def test_initialize_environment(tmp_path):
+def test_initialise_environment(tmp_path):
     """Test that init_file is created as expected."""
     # test that the init file is created as expected
-    mod.initialize_environment(tmp_path)
+    mod.initialise_environment(tmp_path)
     init_file = tmp_path / mod.config_vars["init_file"]
 
     assert init_file.exists()
@@ -534,7 +534,7 @@ def test_initialize_environment(tmp_path):
 
     # test that calling again results in warning and exit code 1
     with pytest.raises(SystemExit) as pytest_wrapped_e:
-        mod.initialize_environment(tmp_path)
+        mod.initialise_environment(tmp_path)
     assert pytest_wrapped_e.type == SystemExit
     assert pytest_wrapped_e.value.code == 1
 
@@ -549,7 +549,7 @@ def test_get_root_dir(tmp_path):
         assert pytest_wrapped_e.value.code == 1
 
         # test that initialize_environment creates the root dir
-        mod.initialize_environment(tmp_path)
+        mod.initialise_environment(tmp_path)
         root_dir = mod.get_root_dir()
         assert root_dir == tmp_path
 
@@ -562,7 +562,7 @@ def test_get_root_dir(tmp_path):
 
         # test that initialising in a subdirectory makes it the root dir
         with mod.os_chdir(sub_dir):
-            mod.initialize_environment(sub_dir)
+            mod.initialise_environment(sub_dir)
             root_dir = mod.get_root_dir()
             assert root_dir == sub_dir