--- a/deps/npm/lib/config/core.js
+++ b/deps/npm/lib/config/core.js
@@ -153,11 +153,12 @@
     // Eg, `npm config get globalconfig --prefix ~/local` should
     // return `~/local/etc/npmrc`
     // annoying humans and their expectations!
-    if (conf.get('prefix')) {
-      var etc = path.resolve(conf.get('prefix'), 'etc')
-      defaults.globalconfig = path.resolve(etc, 'npmrc')
-      defaults.globalignorefile = path.resolve(etc, 'npmignore')
-    }
+    // gentoo deviates wrt global config; store in /etc/npm
+    var globalconfig = path.resolve('/etc', 'npm')
+    mkdirp(globalconfig, function () {
+      defaults.globalconfig = path.resolve(globalconfig, 'npmrc')
+      defaults.globalignorefile = path.resolve(globalconfig, 'npmignore')
+    })
 
     conf.addFile(conf.get('globalconfig'), 'global')