diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 449e1fb..dffb2c9 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
   - [Long-term support](#long-term-support)
   - [Migrating global packages while installing](#migrating-global-packages-while-installing)
   - [Default global packages from file while installing](#default-global-packages-from-file-while-installing)
+  - [Copy system certificate preferences when installing](#copy-system-certificate-preferences-when-installing)
   - [io.js](#iojs)
   - [System version of node](#system-version-of-node)
   - [Listing versions](#listing-versions)
@@ -310,6 +311,10 @@ object-inspect@1.0.2
 stevemao/left-pad
 ```
 
+### Copy system certificate preferences when installing
+
+If you have any of `ca`, `cafile`, or `cert` present in your npm config when installing a new version, those keys will be copied into the newly-installed version's global config file. If you don't want this behavior, pass the `--skip-system-certs` flag when installing a new version
+
 ### io.js
 
 If you want to install [io.js](https://github.com/iojs/io.js/):
diff --git a/nvm.sh b/nvm.sh
index aad2d42..ae95e59 100644
--- a/nvm.sh
+++ b/nvm.sh
@@ -2368,6 +2368,7 @@ nvm() {
       nvm_echo '    --lts                                   When installing, only select from LTS (long-term support) versions'
       nvm_echo '    --lts=<LTS name>                        When installing, only select from versions for a specific LTS line'
       nvm_echo '    --skip-default-packages                 When installing, skip the default-packages file if it exists'
+      nvm_echo '    --skip-system-certs                     When installing, skip copying certificate configuration from system npm'
       nvm_echo '    --latest-npm                            After installing, attempt to upgrade to the latest working npm on the given node version'
       nvm_echo '    --no-progress                           Disable the progress bar on any downloads'
       nvm_echo '  nvm uninstall <version>                   Uninstall a version'
@@ -2640,6 +2641,8 @@ nvm() {
       local REINSTALL_PACKAGES_FROM
       local SKIP_DEFAULT_PACKAGES
       local DEFAULT_PACKAGES
+      local SKIP_CERTS
+      local CERT_CONFIGS
 
       while [ $# -ne 0 ]; do
         case "$1" in
@@ -2662,6 +2665,9 @@ nvm() {
           --skip-default-packages)
             SKIP_DEFAULT_PACKAGES=true
           ;;
+          --skip-system-certs)
+            SKIP_CERTS=true
+          ;;
           *)
             ADDITIONAL_PARAMETERS="${ADDITIONAL_PARAMETERS} $1"
           ;;
@@ -2677,6 +2683,10 @@ nvm() {
         fi
       fi
 
+      if [ -z "${SKIP_CERTS-}" ]; then
+        CERT_CONFIGS="$(nvm exec system npm config ls | sed -n 's/^\(ca\|cafile\|cert\)[ \t]*=[ \t]*\(.*\)$/\1 \2/p')"
+      fi
+
       if [ -n "${PROVIDED_REINSTALL_PACKAGES_FROM-}" ] && [ "$(nvm_ensure_version_prefix "${PROVIDED_REINSTALL_PACKAGES_FROM}")" = "${VERSION}" ]; then
         nvm_err "You can't reinstall global packages from the same version of node you're installing."
         return 4
@@ -2704,6 +2714,9 @@ nvm() {
           if [ -n "${REINSTALL_PACKAGES_FROM-}" ] && [ "_${REINSTALL_PACKAGES_FROM}" != "_N/A" ]; then
             nvm reinstall-packages "${REINSTALL_PACKAGES_FROM}"
           fi
+          if [ -n "${CERT_CONFIGS}" ]; then
+            nvm_copy_cert_configs "${CERT_CONFIGS}"
+          fi
         fi
         if [ -n "${LTS-}" ]; then
           LTS="$(echo "${LTS}" | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]')"
@@ -2782,6 +2795,9 @@ nvm() {
           nvm reinstall-packages "${REINSTALL_PACKAGES_FROM}"
           EXIT_CODE=$?
         fi
+        if [ -n "${CERT_CONFIGS}" ]; then
+          nvm_copy_cert_configs "${CERT_CONFIGS}"
+        fi
       else
         EXIT_CODE=$?
       fi
@@ -3530,6 +3546,7 @@ nvm() {
         nvm_sanitize_path nvm_has_colors nvm_process_parameters \
         node_version_has_solaris_binary iojs_version_has_solaris_binary \
         nvm_curl_libz_support nvm_command_info nvm_is_zsh nvm_stdout_is_terminal \
+        nvm_copy_cert_configs \
         >/dev/null 2>&1
       unset NVM_RC_VERSION NVM_NODEJS_ORG_MIRROR NVM_IOJS_ORG_MIRROR NVM_DIR \
         NVM_CD_FLAGS NVM_BIN NVM_MAKE_JOBS \
@@ -3587,6 +3604,14 @@ nvm_install_default_packages() {
   fi
 }
 
+nvm_copy_cert_configs() {
+  nvm_echo "Copying certificate information from system npm (if present)..."
+  if ! nvm_echo "$1" | command xargs -L1 npm config set -g; then
+    nvm_err "Failed to copy certificate configuration from system npm."
+    return 1
+  fi
+}
+
 nvm_supports_source_options() {
   # shellcheck disable=SC1091,SC2240
     [ "_$( . /dev/stdin yes 2> /dev/null <<'EOF'