diff --git a/DEPENDENCIES.md b/DEPENDENCIES.md
index 5e472d0236a2a..570404d2e1830 100644
--- a/DEPENDENCIES.md
+++ b/DEPENDENCIES.md
@@ -720,6 +720,7 @@ graph LR;
   npmcli-smoke-tests-->npmcli-mock-registry["@npmcli/mock-registry"];
   npmcli-smoke-tests-->npmcli-promise-spawn["@npmcli/promise-spawn"];
   npmcli-smoke-tests-->npmcli-template-oss["@npmcli/template-oss"];
+  npmcli-smoke-tests-->proxy;
   npmcli-smoke-tests-->tap;
   npmcli-smoke-tests-->which;
   npmlog-->are-we-there-yet;
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index e5da072775d01..55fa17170878b 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -4232,6 +4232,110 @@
       "integrity": "sha512-8+9WqebbFzpX9OR+Wa6O29asIogeRMzcGtAINdpMHHyAg10f05aSFVBbcEqGf/PXw1EjAZ+q2/bEBg3DvurK3Q==",
       "dev": true
     },
+    "node_modules/args": {
+      "version": "5.0.3",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/args/-/args-5.0.3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-h6k/zfFgusnv3i5TU08KQkVKuCPBtL/PWQbWkHUxvJrZ2nAyeaUupneemcrgn1xmqxPQsPIzwkUhOpoqPDRZuA==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "dependencies": {
+        "camelcase": "5.0.0",
+        "chalk": "2.4.2",
+        "leven": "2.1.0",
+        "mri": "1.1.4"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">= 6.0.0"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/args/node_modules/ansi-styles": {
+      "version": "3.2.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/ansi-styles/-/ansi-styles-3.2.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-VT0ZI6kZRdTh8YyJw3SMbYm/u+NqfsAxEpWO0Pf9sq8/e94WxxOpPKx9FR1FlyCtOVDNOQ+8ntlqFxiRc+r5qA==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "dependencies": {
+        "color-convert": "^1.9.0"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=4"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/args/node_modules/camelcase": {
+      "version": "5.0.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/camelcase/-/camelcase-5.0.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-faqwZqnWxbxn+F1d399ygeamQNy3lPp/H9H6rNrqYh4FSVCtcY+3cub1MxA8o9mDd55mM8Aghuu/kuyYA6VTsA==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=6"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/args/node_modules/chalk": {
+      "version": "2.4.2",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/chalk/-/chalk-2.4.2.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-Mti+f9lpJNcwF4tWV8/OrTTtF1gZi+f8FqlyAdouralcFWFQWF2+NgCHShjkCb+IFBLq9buZwE1xckQU4peSuQ==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "dependencies": {
+        "ansi-styles": "^3.2.1",
+        "escape-string-regexp": "^1.0.5",
+        "supports-color": "^5.3.0"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=4"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/args/node_modules/color-convert": {
+      "version": "1.9.3",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/color-convert/-/color-convert-1.9.3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-QfAUtd+vFdAtFQcC8CCyYt1fYWxSqAiK2cSD6zDB8N3cpsEBAvRxp9zOGg6G/SHHJYAT88/az/IuDGALsNVbGg==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "dependencies": {
+        "color-name": "1.1.3"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/args/node_modules/color-name": {
+      "version": "1.1.3",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/color-name/-/color-name-1.1.3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-72fSenhMw2HZMTVHeCA9KCmpEIbzWiQsjN+BHcBbS9vr1mtt+vJjPdksIBNUmKAW8TFUDPJK5SUU3QhE9NEXDw==",
+      "dev": true
+    },
+    "node_modules/args/node_modules/escape-string-regexp": {
+      "version": "1.0.5",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/escape-string-regexp/-/escape-string-regexp-1.0.5.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-vbRorB5FUQWvla16U8R/qgaFIya2qGzwDrNmCZuYKrbdSUMG6I1ZCGQRefkRVhuOkIGVne7BQ35DSfo1qvJqFg==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=0.8.0"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/args/node_modules/has-flag": {
+      "version": "3.0.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/has-flag/-/has-flag-3.0.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-sKJf1+ceQBr4SMkvQnBDNDtf4TXpVhVGateu0t918bl30FnbE2m4vNLX+VWe/dpjlb+HugGYzW7uQXH98HPEYw==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=4"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/args/node_modules/mri": {
+      "version": "1.1.4",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/mri/-/mri-1.1.4.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-6y7IjGPm8AzlvoUrwAaw1tLnUBudaS3752vcd8JtrpGGQn+rXIe63LFVHm/YMwtqAuh+LJPCFdlLYPWM1nYn6w==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=4"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/args/node_modules/supports-color": {
+      "version": "5.5.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/supports-color/-/supports-color-5.5.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-QjVjwdXIt408MIiAqCX4oUKsgU2EqAGzs2Ppkm4aQYbjm+ZEWEcW4SfFNTr4uMNZma0ey4f5lgLrkB0aX0QMow==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "dependencies": {
+        "has-flag": "^3.0.0"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=4"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/array-buffer-byte-length": {
       "version": "1.0.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/array-buffer-byte-length/-/array-buffer-byte-length-1.0.0.tgz",
@@ -4416,6 +4520,12 @@
       ],
       "inBundle": true
     },
+    "node_modules/basic-auth-parser": {
+      "version": "0.0.2-1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/basic-auth-parser/-/basic-auth-parser-0.0.2-1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-GFj8iVxo9onSU6BnnQvVwqvxh60UcSHJEDnIk3z4B6iOjsKSmqe+ibW0Rsz7YO7IE1HG3D3tqCNIidP46SZVdQ==",
+      "dev": true
+    },
     "node_modules/before-after-hook": {
       "version": "2.2.3",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/before-after-hook/-/before-after-hook-2.2.3.tgz",
@@ -8633,6 +8743,15 @@
         "node": ">=6"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/leven": {
+      "version": "2.1.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/leven/-/leven-2.1.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-nvVPLpIHUxCUoRLrFqTgSxXJ614d8AgQoWl7zPe/2VadE8+1dpU3LBhowRuBAcuwruWtOdD8oYC9jDNJjXDPyA==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=0.10.0"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/levn": {
       "version": "0.4.1",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/levn/-/levn-0.4.1.tgz",
@@ -12192,6 +12311,20 @@
         "url": "https://github.com/sponsors/wooorm"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/proxy": {
+      "version": "2.1.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/proxy/-/proxy-2.1.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-nLgd7zdUAOpB3ZO/xCkU8gy74UER7P0aihU8DkUsDS5ZoFwVCX7u8dy+cv5tVK8UaB/yminU1GiLWE26TKPYpg==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "dependencies": {
+        "args": "^5.0.3",
+        "basic-auth-parser": "0.0.2-1",
+        "debug": "^4.3.4"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">= 14"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/psl": {
       "version": "1.9.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/psl/-/psl-1.9.0.tgz",
@@ -17243,6 +17376,7 @@
         "@npmcli/promise-spawn": "^7.0.0",
         "@npmcli/template-oss": "4.18.0",
         "http-proxy": "^1.18.1",
+        "proxy": "^2.1.1",
         "tap": "^16.3.8",
         "which": "^4.0.0"
       },
diff --git a/smoke-tests/package.json b/smoke-tests/package.json
index 6a9d9e7a3ffae..0f0afe2544d72 100644
--- a/smoke-tests/package.json
+++ b/smoke-tests/package.json
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
     "@npmcli/promise-spawn": "^7.0.0",
     "@npmcli/template-oss": "4.18.0",
     "http-proxy": "^1.18.1",
+    "proxy": "^2.1.1",
     "tap": "^16.3.8",
     "which": "^4.0.0"
   },
diff --git a/smoke-tests/test/fixtures/setup.js b/smoke-tests/test/fixtures/setup.js
index 89a036cb39aeb..2a42ec18f43a5 100644
--- a/smoke-tests/test/fixtures/setup.js
+++ b/smoke-tests/test/fixtures/setup.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ const httpProxy = require('http-proxy')
 const { SMOKE_PUBLISH_NPM, SMOKE_PUBLISH_TARBALL, CI, PATH, Path, TAP_CHILD_ID = '0' } = process.env
 const PROXY_PORT = 12345 + (+TAP_CHILD_ID)
 const HTTP_PROXY = `http://localhost:${PROXY_PORT}/`
+const DEFAULT_REGISTRY = new URL('https://registry.npmjs.org/')
 
 const NODE_PATH = process.execPath
 const CLI_ROOT = resolve(process.cwd(), '..')
@@ -114,7 +115,11 @@ module.exports = async (t, { testdir = {}, debug, registry: _registry = {} } = {
     globalNodeModules: join(root, 'global', GLOBAL_NODE_MODULES),
   }
 
-  const registry = await createRegistry(t, { ..._registry, debug })
+  const liveRegistry = _registry === false
+  const USE_PROXY = !liveRegistry
+  const registry = liveRegistry
+    ? DEFAULT_REGISTRY
+    : await createRegistry(t, { ..._registry, debug })
 
   // update notifier should never be written
   t.afterEach((t) => {
@@ -178,7 +183,7 @@ module.exports = async (t, { testdir = {}, debug, registry: _registry = {} } = {
   }
 
   const baseNpm = async (...a) => {
-    const [{ cwd, cmd, argv = [], proxy = true, ...opts }, args] = getOpts(...a)
+    const [{ cwd, cmd, argv = [], proxy = USE_PROXY, ...opts }, args] = getOpts(...a)
 
     const isGlobal = args.some(arg => ['-g', '--global', '--global=true'].includes(arg))
 
@@ -262,3 +267,4 @@ module.exports.WINDOWS = WINDOWS
 module.exports.SMOKE_PUBLISH = !!SMOKE_PUBLISH_NPM
 module.exports.SMOKE_PUBLISH_TARBALL = SMOKE_PUBLISH_TARBALL
 module.exports.HTTP_PROXY = HTTP_PROXY
+module.exports.PROXY_PORT = PROXY_PORT
diff --git a/smoke-tests/test/proxy.js b/smoke-tests/test/proxy.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..c20561d77a73a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/smoke-tests/test/proxy.js
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+const t = require('tap')
+const setup = require('./fixtures/setup.js')
+const { createProxy } = require('proxy')
+const http = require('http')
+
+t.test('basic', async t => {
+  const PORT = setup.PROXY_PORT
+  const { npm, readFile } = await setup(t, {
+    registry: false,
+    testdir: {
+      home: {
+        '.npmrc': `proxy = "http://localhost:${PORT}/"`,
+      },
+    },
+  })
+
+  const server = createProxy(http.createServer())
+  await new Promise(res => server.listen(PORT, res))
+
+  t.teardown(() => server.close())
+
+  await t.test('npm install prodDep@version', async t => {
+    await npm('install', 'abbrev@1.0.4')
+
+    t.strictSame(await readFile('package.json'), {
+      dependencies: { abbrev: '^1.0.4' },
+    })
+  })
+})