diff --git a/bin/nyc.js b/bin/nyc.js
index d7c070a81..6ae1dca1f 100755
--- a/bin/nyc.js
+++ b/bin/nyc.js
@@ -45,7 +45,10 @@ if ([
     NYC_CONFIG: JSON.stringify(argv),
     NYC_CWD: process.cwd(),
     NYC_ROOT_ID: nyc.rootId,
-    NYC_INSTRUMENTER: argv.instrumenter
+    NYC_INSTRUMENTER: argv.instrumenter,
+    // Support running nyc as a user without HOME (e.g. linux 'nobody'),
+    // https://github.com/istanbuljs/nyc/issues/951
+    SPAWN_WRAP_SHIM_ROOT: process.env.XDG_CACHE_HOME || require('os').homedir()
   }
 
   if (argv['babel-cache'] === false) {