diff --git a/nvm.sh b/nvm.sh
index 4dd189a..9a0669b 100755
--- a/nvm.sh
+++ b/nvm.sh
@@ -78,7 +78,8 @@ if [ -z "$NVM_DIR" ]; then
   if [ -n "$BASH_SOURCE" ]; then
     NVM_SCRIPT_SOURCE="${BASH_SOURCE[0]}"
   fi
-  export NVM_DIR="$(cd $NVM_CD_FLAGS $(dirname "${NVM_SCRIPT_SOURCE:-$0}") > /dev/null && \pwd)"
+  NVM_DIR="$(cd $NVM_CD_FLAGS $(dirname "${NVM_SCRIPT_SOURCE:-$0}") > /dev/null && \pwd)"
+  export NVM_DIR
 fi
 unset NVM_SCRIPT_SOURCE 2> /dev/null