diff --git a/nvm.sh b/nvm.sh
index 5529f59..32ecea3 100644
--- a/nvm.sh
+++ b/nvm.sh
@@ -2163,6 +2163,14 @@ nvm() {
     return
   fi
 
+  local DEFAULT_IFS
+  DEFAULT_IFS=" $(echo t | tr t \\t)
+"
+  if [ "${IFS}" != "${DEFAULT_IFS}" ]; then
+    IFS="${DEFAULT_IFS}" nvm "$@"
+    return $?
+  fi
+
   local COMMAND
   COMMAND="${1-}"
   shift
diff --git a/test/fast/Listing versions/Using a nonstandard IFS should not break b/test/fast/Listing versions/Using a nonstandard IFS should not break
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..c707dbc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fast/Listing versions/Using a nonstandard IFS should not break	
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+\. ../../../nvm.sh
+
+mkdir "${NVM_DIR}/v0.0.1"
+mkdir "${NVM_DIR}/v0.0.3"
+mkdir "${NVM_DIR}/v0.0.9"
+mkdir "${NVM_DIR}/v0.3.1"
+mkdir "${NVM_DIR}/v0.3.3"
+mkdir "${NVM_DIR}/v0.3.9"
+mkdir -p "${NVM_DIR}/versions/node/v0.12.87"
+mkdir -p "${NVM_DIR}/versions/node/v0.12.9"
+mkdir -p "${NVM_DIR}/versions/io.js/v0.1.2"
+mkdir -p "${NVM_DIR}/versions/io.js/v0.10.2"
+
+set -e
+
+IFS='' nvm ls