diff --git a/README.markdown b/README.markdown
index a85482f..b97eb89 100644
--- a/README.markdown
+++ b/README.markdown
@@ -62,6 +62,10 @@ To set a default Node version to be used in any new shell, use the alias 'defaul
 
     nvm alias default 0.8
 
+To use NPM within the given node version:
+
+    nvm npm 0.6.14
+
 ## License
 
 Nvm is released under the MIT license.
diff --git a/nvm.sh b/nvm.sh
index c577cf7..14ca406 100755
--- a/nvm.sh
+++ b/nvm.sh
@@ -171,6 +171,7 @@ nvm()
       echo "    nvm alias [<pattern>]       Show all aliases beginning with <pattern>"
       echo "    nvm alias <name> <version>  Set an alias named <name> pointing to <version>"
       echo "    nvm unalias <name>          Deletes the alias named <name>"
+      echo "    nvm npm <version> [<args>]  Run NPM within node <version> with <args> as arguments"
       echo "    nvm copy-packages <version> Install global NPM packages contained in <version> to current version"
       echo
       echo "Example:"
@@ -415,6 +416,20 @@ nvm()
       echo "Running node $VERSION"
       $NVM_DIR/$VERSION/bin/node "${@:3}"
     ;;
+    "npm" )
+      # run npm within the given version of node
+      if [ $# -lt 2 ]; then
+        nvm help
+        return
+      fi
+      VERSION=`nvm_version $2`
+      if [ ! -d $NVM_DIR/$VERSION ]; then
+        echo "$VERSION version is not installed yet"
+        return;
+      fi
+      echo "Running NPM within node $VERSION"
+      $NVM_DIR/$VERSION/bin/npm "${@:3}"
+    ;;
     "ls" | "list" )
       print_versions "`nvm_ls $2`"
       if [ $# -eq 1 ]; then