diff -ur npm-1.1.68-o/lib/link.js npm-1.1.68/lib/link.js
--- npm-1.1.68-o/lib/link.js	2012-08-22 11:43:26.000000000 -0600
+++ npm-1.1.68/lib/link.js	2012-12-02 11:51:35.000000000 -0700
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
   , chain = require("slide").chain
   , path = require("path")
   , rm = require("rimraf")
+  , globalPaths = require('module').globalPaths
   , build = require("./build.js")
 
 module.exports = link
@@ -78,11 +79,24 @@
       })
     }
 
-    fs.lstat(pp, function (er, st) {
-      if (er) {
+    // find pp from globalPaths
+    asyncMap(globalPaths, function(f, cb) {
+      f = path.resolve(f, pkg)
+      fs.lstat(f, function(er, st) {
+        if (er) {
+          cb()
+        } else {
+          cb(null, f, st)
+        }
+      });
+    }, function(er, f, st) {
+      pp = f && f[0] || path.resolve(npm.globalDir, pkg)
+
+      if (er) return cb()
+      if (!f || !f[0]) {
         rp = pp
         return npm.commands.install(t, pkg, n)
-      } else if (!st.isSymbolicLink()) {
+      } else if (!st[0].isSymbolicLink()) {
         rp = pp
         next()
       } else {