diff --git a/lib/install.js b/lib/install.js
index 6611763978e61..1589ff589c38e 100644
--- a/lib/install.js
+++ b/lib/install.js
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ const log = require('npmlog')
 const { resolve, join } = require('path')
 const Arborist = require('@npmcli/arborist')
 const runScript = require('@npmcli/run-script')
+const pacote = require('pacote')
+const checks = require('npm-install-checks')
 
 const ArboristWorkspaceCmd = require('./workspaces/arborist-cmd.js')
 class Install extends ArboristWorkspaceCmd {
@@ -126,6 +128,23 @@ class Install extends ArboristWorkspaceCmd {
     const ignoreScripts = this.npm.config.get('ignore-scripts')
     const isGlobalInstall = this.npm.config.get('global')
     const where = isGlobalInstall ? globalTop : this.npm.prefix
+    const forced = this.npm.config.get('force')
+    const isDev = this.npm.config.get('dev')
+    const scriptShell = this.npm.config.get('script-shell') || undefined
+
+    // be very strict about engines when trying to update npm itself
+    const npmInstall = args.find(arg => arg.startsWith('npm@') || arg === 'npm')
+    if (isGlobalInstall && npmInstall) {
+      const npmManifest = await pacote.manifest(npmInstall)
+      try {
+        checks.checkEngine(npmManifest, npmManifest.version, process.version)
+      } catch (e) {
+        if (forced)
+          this.npm.log.warn('install', `Forcing global npm install with incompatible version ${npmManifest.version} into node ${process.version}`)
+        else
+          throw e
+      }
+    }
 
     // don't try to install the prefix into itself
     args = args.filter(a => resolve(a) !== this.npm.prefix)
@@ -135,7 +154,7 @@ class Install extends ArboristWorkspaceCmd {
       args = ['.']
 
     // TODO: Add warnings for other deprecated flags?  or remove this one?
-    if (this.npm.config.get('dev'))
+    if (isDev)
       log.warn('install', 'Usage of the `--dev` option is deprecated. Use `--include=dev` instead.')
 
     const opts = {
@@ -150,7 +169,6 @@ class Install extends ArboristWorkspaceCmd {
     await arb.reify(opts)
 
     if (!args.length && !isGlobalInstall && !ignoreScripts) {
-      const scriptShell = this.npm.config.get('script-shell') || undefined
       const scripts = [
         'preinstall',
         'install',
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 9abe13a85d668..8546bd714d204 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -127,6 +127,7 @@
         "node-gyp": "^7.1.2",
         "nopt": "^5.0.0",
         "npm-audit-report": "^2.1.5",
+        "npm-install-checks": "^4.0.0",
         "npm-package-arg": "^8.1.5",
         "npm-pick-manifest": "^6.1.1",
         "npm-profile": "^5.0.3",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index e0363a49bf52e..4531d1508fbe0 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@
     "node-gyp": "^7.1.2",
     "nopt": "^5.0.0",
     "npm-audit-report": "^2.1.5",
+    "npm-install-checks": "^4.0.0",
     "npm-package-arg": "^8.1.5",
     "npm-pick-manifest": "^6.1.1",
     "npm-profile": "^5.0.3",
diff --git a/test/lib/install.js b/test/lib/install.js
index 6412b34c16f25..2cbee02e67b28 100644
--- a/test/lib/install.js
+++ b/test/lib/install.js
@@ -126,6 +126,146 @@ t.test('should install globally using Arborist', (t) => {
   })
 })
 
+t.test('npm i -g npm engines check success', (t) => {
+  const Install = t.mock('../../lib/install.js', {
+    '../../lib/utils/reify-finish.js': async () => {},
+    '@npmcli/arborist': function () {
+      this.reify = () => {}
+    },
+    pacote: {
+      manifest: () => {
+        return {
+          version: '100.100.100',
+          engines: {
+            node: '>1',
+          },
+        }
+      },
+    },
+  })
+  const npm = mockNpm({
+    globalDir: 'path/to/node_modules/',
+    config: {
+      global: true,
+    },
+  })
+  const install = new Install(npm)
+  install.exec(['npm'], er => {
+    if (er)
+      throw er
+    t.end()
+  })
+})
+
+t.test('npm i -g npm engines check failure', (t) => {
+  const Install = t.mock('../../lib/install.js', {
+    pacote: {
+      manifest: () => {
+        return {
+          _id: 'npm@1.2.3',
+          version: '100.100.100',
+          engines: {
+            node: '>1000',
+          },
+        }
+      },
+    },
+  })
+  const npm = mockNpm({
+    globalDir: 'path/to/node_modules/',
+    config: {
+      global: true,
+    },
+  })
+  const install = new Install(npm)
+  install.exec(['npm'], er => {
+    t.match(er, {
+      message: 'Unsupported engine',
+      pkgid: 'npm@1.2.3',
+      current: {
+        node: process.version,
+        npm: '100.100.100',
+      },
+      required: {
+        node: '>1000',
+      },
+      code: 'EBADENGINE',
+    })
+    t.end()
+  })
+})
+
+t.test('npm i -g npm engines check failure forced override', (t) => {
+  const Install = t.mock('../../lib/install.js', {
+    '../../lib/utils/reify-finish.js': async () => {},
+    '@npmcli/arborist': function () {
+      this.reify = () => {}
+    },
+    pacote: {
+      manifest: () => {
+        return {
+          _id: 'npm@1.2.3',
+          version: '100.100.100',
+          engines: {
+            node: '>1000',
+          },
+        }
+      },
+    },
+  })
+  const npm = mockNpm({
+    globalDir: 'path/to/node_modules/',
+    config: {
+      force: true,
+      global: true,
+    },
+  })
+  const install = new Install(npm)
+  install.exec(['npm'], er => {
+    if (er)
+      throw er
+    t.end()
+  })
+})
+
+t.test('npm i -g npm@version engines check failure', (t) => {
+  const Install = t.mock('../../lib/install.js', {
+    pacote: {
+      manifest: () => {
+        return {
+          _id: 'npm@1.2.3',
+          version: '100.100.100',
+          engines: {
+            node: '>1000',
+          },
+        }
+      },
+    },
+  })
+  const npm = mockNpm({
+    globalDir: 'path/to/node_modules/',
+    config: {
+      global: true,
+    },
+  })
+  const install = new Install(npm)
+  install.exec(['npm@100'], er => {
+    t.match(er, {
+      message: 'Unsupported engine',
+      pkgid: 'npm@1.2.3',
+      current: {
+        node: process.version,
+        npm: '100.100.100',
+      },
+      required: {
+        node: '>1000',
+      },
+      code: 'EBADENGINE',
+    })
+    t.end()
+  })
+})
+
 t.test('completion to folder', async t => {
   const Install = t.mock('../../lib/install.js', {
     '../../lib/utils/reify-finish.js': async () => {},