diff --git a/lib/audit.js b/lib/audit.js
index 73cae53973ecf..29a215c1aecc9 100644
--- a/lib/audit.js
+++ b/lib/audit.js
@@ -44,6 +44,11 @@ function maybeReadFile (name) {
 }
 
 function auditCmd (args, cb) {
+  if (npm.config.get('global')) {
+    const err = new Error('`npm audit` does not support testing globals')
+    err.code = 'EAUDITGLOBAL'
+    throw err
+  }
   return Bluebird.all([
     maybeReadFile('npm-shrinkwrap.json'),
     maybeReadFile('package-lock.json'),