diff --git a/npm/install.js b/npm/install.js
index 02868ce9a9db..35fc41484079 100755
--- a/npm/install.js
+++ b/npm/install.js
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ try {
   // do nothing
 }
 
-var platform = process.env.npm_config_platform
+var platform = process.env.npm_config_platform || os.platform()
 
 function onerror (err) {
   throw err