diff --git a/lib/set-npmrc-auth.js b/lib/set-npmrc-auth.js
index da316845..40f65c92 100644
--- a/lib/set-npmrc-auth.js
+++ b/lib/set-npmrc-auth.js
@@ -6,9 +6,12 @@ const nerfDart = require('nerf-dart');
 const AggregateError = require('aggregate-error');
 const getError = require('./get-error');
 
-module.exports = async (registry, {cwd, env: {NPM_TOKEN, NPM_USERNAME, NPM_PASSWORD, NPM_EMAIL}, logger}) => {
+module.exports = async (
+  registry,
+  {cwd, env: {NPM_TOKEN, NPM_CONFIG_USERCONFIG, NPM_USERNAME, NPM_PASSWORD, NPM_EMAIL}, logger}
+) => {
   logger.log('Verify authentication for registry %s', registry);
-  const config = path.resolve(cwd, '.npmrc');
+  const config = NPM_CONFIG_USERCONFIG || path.resolve(cwd, '.npmrc');
   if (getAuthToken(registry, {npmrc: rc('npm', {registry: 'https://registry.npmjs.org/'}, {config})})) {
     return;
   }