diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 944bffadca5..52e4f8b2adf 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -49,6 +49,19 @@ Please refer to the [README](README.md) for complete instructions how to install
 
 Even if you don't have all of these items covered, please still feel free to submit a PR/issue! Someone else may be inspired and volunteer to complete it for you.
 
+## Running the test suite
+
+The most important part of any contribution is running the test suite to make sure the thing you did actually worked!
+
+```
+npm install
+make test
+```
+
+You might be asked for your password for some tests that require a few extra privileges. If you don't want to enter it, feel free not to, but the related tests will fail.
+
+Thanks again!
+
 #### How to create a pull request
 
 Create a new branch
@@ -107,7 +120,6 @@ Fixes #1234
 Co-authored-by: Name Here <email@here>
 ```
 
-
 # Code of Conduct
 [Code of Conduct](https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm/blob/HEAD/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md)
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 14b4b64a183..9a21f05c34a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
     - [Set default node version](#set-default-node-version)
     - [Use a mirror of node binaries](#use-a-mirror-of-node-binaries)
   - [.nvmrc](#nvmrc)
+  - [.node-version](#node-version)
   - [Deeper Shell Integration](#deeper-shell-integration)
     - [bash](#bash)
       - [Automatically call `nvm use`](#automatically-call-nvm-use)
@@ -554,6 +555,16 @@ Now using node v5.9.1 (npm v3.7.3)
 
 The contents of a `.nvmrc` file **must** be the `<version>` (as described by `nvm --help`) followed by a newline. No trailing spaces are allowed, and the trailing newline is required.
 
+### .node-version
+
+For a little compatability with other node version managers, nvm will also sniff for `.node-version` files, defaulting to `.nvmrc` if both are found in the same folder.
+
+```
+$ echo "5.9" > .node-version
+```
+
+Unlike `.nvmrc`, `.node-version` cannot contain a "versionish" (an alias, like `node`, `iojs`, or a custom alias you’ve defined). `.node-version` can only have versions in the format of v1, v1.2, or v1.2.3 (the `v` is optional).
+
 ### Deeper Shell Integration
 
 You can use [`avn`](https://github.com/wbyoung/avn) to deeply integrate into your shell and automatically invoke `nvm` when changing directories. `avn` is **not** supported by the `nvm` maintainers. Please [report issues to the `avn` team](https://github.com/wbyoung/avn/issues/new).
diff --git a/nvm.sh b/nvm.sh
index c37df6b9152..8ad7e26a87a 100644
--- a/nvm.sh
+++ b/nvm.sh
@@ -451,43 +451,46 @@ nvm_find_project_dir() {
 
 # Traverse up in directory tree to find containing folder
 nvm_find_up() {
-  local path_
-  path_="${PWD}"
-  while [ "${path_}" != "" ] && [ "${path_}" != '.' ] && [ ! -f "${path_}/${1-}" ]; do
-    path_=${path_%/*}
+  local path
+  local file
+  path="${PWD}"
+
+  # Iterate through the multiple files
+  while [ $# -ne 0 ]; do
+    # Look for files in turn in this path
+    while [ "${path}" != "" ]; do
+      # Is the file here?
+      if [ ! -f "${path}/${1}" ]; then
+        file="${path}/${1}"
+        nvm_echo $file
+        break 2
+      fi
+    done
+    shift
   done
-  nvm_echo "${path_}"
 }
 
 nvm_find_nvmrc() {
-  local dir
-  dir="$(nvm_find_up '.nvmrc')"
-  if [ -e "${dir}/.nvmrc" ]; then
-    nvm_echo "${dir}/.nvmrc"
-  fi
+  nvm_echo "$(nvm_find_up '.nvmrc' '.node-version')"
 }
 
-# Obtain nvm version from rc file
 nvm_rc_version() {
   export NVM_RC_VERSION=''
   local NVMRC_PATH
   NVMRC_PATH="$(nvm_find_nvmrc)"
   if [ ! -e "${NVMRC_PATH}" ]; then
     if [ "${NVM_SILENT:-0}" -ne 1 ]; then
-      nvm_err "No .nvmrc file found"
+      nvm_err "No .nvmrc or .node-version file found"
     fi
     return 1
   fi
-  NVM_RC_VERSION="$(command head -n 1 "${NVMRC_PATH}" | command tr -d '\r')" || command printf ''
-  if [ -z "${NVM_RC_VERSION}" ]; then
-    if [ "${NVM_SILENT:-0}" -ne 1 ]; then
-      nvm_err "Warning: empty .nvmrc file found at \"${NVMRC_PATH}\""
-    fi
+  NVMRC_BASENAME="$(command basename "$NVMRC_PATH")"
+  read -r NVM_RC_VERSION < "${NVMRC_PATH}" || printf ''
+  if [ ! -n "${NVM_RC_VERSION}" ]; then
+    nvm_err "Warning: empty \"${NVMRC_BASENAME}\" file found at \"${NVMRC_PATH}\""
     return 2
   fi
-  if [ "${NVM_SILENT:-0}" -ne 1 ]; then
-    nvm_echo "Found '${NVMRC_PATH}' with version <${NVM_RC_VERSION}>"
-  fi
+  nvm_echo "Found \"${NVMRC_BASENAME}\" with version <${NVM_RC_VERSION}>"
 }
 
 nvm_clang_version() {
diff --git a/test/slow/nvm exec/setup_dir b/test/slow/nvm exec/setup_dir
index 79217427336..5f728e433a3 100755
--- a/test/slow/nvm exec/setup_dir	
+++ b/test/slow/nvm exec/setup_dir	
@@ -8,3 +8,7 @@ nvm install --lts
 if [ -f ".nvmrc" ]; then
   mv .nvmrc .nvmrc.bak
 fi
+
+if [ -f ".node-version" ]; then
+  mv .node-version .node-version.bak
+fi
diff --git a/test/slow/nvm exec/teardown_dir b/test/slow/nvm exec/teardown_dir
index b16b41695a1..d1955c40d9a 100755
--- a/test/slow/nvm exec/teardown_dir	
+++ b/test/slow/nvm exec/teardown_dir	
@@ -7,7 +7,12 @@ nvm uninstall v1.0.0
 nvm uninstall --lts
 
 rm .nvmrc
+rm .node-version
 
 if [ -f ".nvmrc.bak" ]; then
   mv .nvmrc.bak .nvmrc
 fi
+
+if [ -f ".node-version.bak" ]; then
+  mv .node-version.bak .node-version
+fi
diff --git "a/test/slow/nvm run/Running \"nvm run\" should pick up .nvmrc version" "b/test/slow/nvm run/Running \"nvm run\" should pick up .nvmrc version"
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..93f04937730
--- /dev/null
+++ "b/test/slow/nvm run/Running \"nvm run\" should pick up .nvmrc version"	
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+
+die () { echo "$@" ; exit 1; }
+
+\. ../../../nvm.sh
+
+echo "0.10.7" > .nvmrc
+
+[ "$(nvm run --version | tail -1)" = "v0.10.7" ] || die "\`nvm run\` failed to run with the .nvmrc version"
+
+[ "$(nvm run --version | head -1)" = "Found '$PWD/.nvmrc' with version <0.10.7>" ] || die "\`nvm run\` failed to print out the \"found in .nvmrc\" message"
+
+echo "0.12.0" > .node-version
+
+[ "$(nvm run --version | tail -1)" = "v0.10.7" ] || die "\`nvm run\` failed to run with the .nvmrc version"
+
+[ "$(nvm run --version | head -1)" = "Found '$PWD/.nvmrc' with version <0.10.7>" ] || die "\`nvm run\` failed to print out the \"found in .nvmrc\" message"
+
+rm .nvmrc
+
+[ "$(nvm run --version | tail -1)" = "v0.12.0" ] || die "\`nvm run\` failed to run with the .node-version version"
+
+[ "$(nvm run --version | head -1)" = "Found '$PWD/.node-version' with version <0.12.0>" ] || die "\`nvm run\` failed to print out the \"found in .node-version\" message"