diff --git a/nvm.sh b/nvm.sh
index 609474d..d0335e1 100644
--- a/nvm.sh
+++ b/nvm.sh
@@ -160,7 +160,15 @@ nvm_binary_available() {
 }
 
 nvm_ls_current() {
-  echo `node -v 2>/dev/null`
+  local NODE_PATH
+  NODE_PATH="$(which node)"
+  if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+    echo 'none'
+  elif nvm_tree_contains_path "$NVM_DIR" "$NODE_PATH"; then
+    echo `node -v 2>/dev/null`
+  else
+    echo 'system'
+  fi
 }
 
 nvm_ls() {
@@ -194,6 +202,9 @@ nvm_ls() {
     echo "N/A"
     return 3
   fi
+  if [ -z "$PATTERN" ] && nvm_has_system_node; then
+    VERSIONS="$VERSIONS$(printf '\n%s' 'system')"
+  fi
   echo "$VERSIONS"
   return
 }
@@ -251,6 +262,8 @@ nvm_print_versions() {
       FORMAT='\033[0;32m-> %9s\033[0m'
     elif [ -d "$NVM_DIR/$VERSION" ]; then
       FORMAT='\033[0;34m%12s\033[0m'
+    elif [ "$VERSION" = "system" ]; then
+      FORMAT='\033[0;33m%12s\033[0m'
     else
       FORMAT='%12s'
     fi
@@ -537,7 +550,17 @@ nvm() {
           VERSION=`nvm_version $NVM_RC_VERSION`
         fi
       else
-        VERSION=`nvm_version $2`
+        if [ $2 = 'system' ]; then
+          if nvm_has_system_node && nvm deactivate; then
+            echo "Now using system version of node: $(node -v 2>/dev/null)."
+            return
+          else
+            echo "System version of node not found." >&2
+            return 127
+          fi
+        else
+          VERSION=`nvm_version $2`
+        fi
       fi
       if [ -z "$VERSION" ]; then
         nvm help
diff --git "a/test/fast/Listing versions/Running \"nvm ls\" should include \"system\" when appropriate" "b/test/fast/Listing versions/Running \"nvm ls\" should include \"system\" when appropriate"
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..9afd40a
--- /dev/null
+++ "b/test/fast/Listing versions/Running \"nvm ls\" should include \"system\" when appropriate"	
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+die () { echo $@ ; exit 1; }
+
+. ../../../nvm.sh
+
+mkdir -p ../../../v0.0.1
+mkdir -p ../../../v0.0.3
+mkdir -p ../../../v0.0.9
+mkdir -p ../../../v0.3.1
+mkdir -p ../../../v0.3.3
+mkdir -p ../../../v0.3.9
+
+nvm_has_system_node() { return 0; }
+nvm ls | grep system 2>&1 > /dev/null
+[ $? -eq 0 ] || die '"nvm ls" did not contain "system" when system node is present'
+
+nvm_has_system_node() { return 1; }
+nvm ls | grep system 2>&1 > /dev/null
+[ $? -ne 0 ] || die '"nvm ls" contained "system" when system node is not present'
+
diff --git "a/test/fast/Running \"nvm current\" should display current nvm environment." "b/test/fast/Running \"nvm current\" should display current nvm environment."
index d9293ed..5748fd6 100755
--- "a/test/fast/Running \"nvm current\" should display current nvm environment."	
+++ "b/test/fast/Running \"nvm current\" should display current nvm environment."	
@@ -3,4 +3,8 @@
 die () { echo $@ ; exit 1; }
 
 . ../../nvm.sh
-[ "$(nvm current)" = "$(node -v)" ] || die "Failed to find current version"
+
+nvm deactivate 2>&1
+
+[ "$(nvm current)" = "system" ] || [ "$(nvm current)" = "none" ] || die '"nvm current" did not report "system" or "none" when deactivated'
+
diff --git "a/test/fast/Running \"nvm use system\" should work as expected" "b/test/fast/Running \"nvm use system\" should work as expected"
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..9b4e850
--- /dev/null
+++ "b/test/fast/Running \"nvm use system\" should work as expected"	
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+die () { echo $@ ; exit 1; }
+
+. ../../nvm.sh
+
+nvm_has_system_node() { return 0; }
+[ "$(nvm use system 2>&1 | tail -n1)" = "Now using system version of node: $(node -v)." ] || die "Could not use system version of node"
+
+nvm_has_system_node() { return 1; }
+[ "$(nvm use system 2>&1 | tail -n1)" = "System version of node not found." ] || die "Did not report error, system node not found"
+nvm use system 2>&1 > /dev/null || [ $? -eq 127 ] || die "Did not return error code, system node not found"
+