diff --git a/bin/install.js b/bin/install.js
index fc83679a..35629822 100755
--- a/bin/install.js
+++ b/bin/install.js
@@ -206,6 +206,9 @@ let cacheDir = defaultCacheDir;
 if (!cacheStrict && (production || argv.cache === false)) {
   cacheDir = '';
 }
+if (process.env.npminstall_cache) {
+  cacheDir = process.env.npminstall_cache;
+}
 
 let forbiddenLicenses = argv['forbidden-licenses'];
 forbiddenLicenses = forbiddenLicenses ? forbiddenLicenses.split(',') : null;
diff --git a/test/install-cache-strict.test.js b/test/install-cache-strict.test.js
index 2d47975b..c090f613 100644
--- a/test/install-cache-strict.test.js
+++ b/test/install-cache-strict.test.js
@@ -72,4 +72,17 @@ describe('test/install-cache-strict.test.js', () => {
       .end();
     assert(await fs.stat(path.join(homedir, '.npminstall_tarball/d/e/b/u/debug')));
   });
+
+  it('should read disk cache from npminstall_cache env', async () => {
+    await coffee.fork(helper.npminstall, [], {
+      cwd: demo,
+      env: Object.assign({}, process.env, {
+        HOME: homedir,
+        npminstall_cache: path.join(homedir, 'foocache/.npminstall_tarball'),
+      }),
+    })
+      .debug()
+      .end();
+    assert(await fs.stat(path.join(homedir, 'foocache/.npminstall_tarball/d/e/b/u/debug')));
+  });
 });