Ongoing problem with PATH variable since v2.6-beta17

[mikhail@xxxxxxx (Mikhail Kuperblum)]

Beginning with v2.6-beta17 when I run zsh in xterm window, it doesn't
inherit my PATH correctly.

# echo $PATH
/usr/progressive/bin:/etc:/usr/local/bin:/bin:/usr/bin:/tcb/bin:/usr/bin/X11:/us
r/lib/uucp/:/u/wp/shbin:/u/wp/wpbin:/u/dlc:/u/local/sound/bin:/usr/vsifax/bin:/u
sr/merge/dosroot/ubin
# export
export PATH, etc.
# zsh
[/] echo $PATH
/usr/lib/X11/IXI/XDesktop/bin /usr/lib/X11/IXI/XDesktop/bin/i3sc0322 /usr/progre
ssive/bin /etc /usr/local/bin /bin /usr/bin /tcb/bin /usr/bin/X11 /usr/lib/uucp/
 /u/wp/shbin /u/wp/wpbin /u/dlc /u/local/sound/bin /usr/vsifax/bin /usr/merge/do
sroot/ubin

Firstly, there is no ":" between "PATH" elements so it looks like "path"
variable and simply doesn't work and there are two extra components 
that weren't there before (I have no idea where they're coming from):

/usr/lib/X11/IXI/XDesktop/bin /usr/lib/X11/IXI/XDesktop/bin/i3sc0322

Why my PATH breaks like that? All pre-v2.6-beta17 worked (and still do)
perfectly. Something must have changed somewhere. BTW, there is no problem 
in the character mode. (my OS is SCO OSE 5).

To anyone who might reply: please Cc to mikhail@xxxxxxx since I'm
not a member of this mlist. Thanks!

-- 
mikhail