diff --git a/doc/api/crypto.markdown b/doc/api/crypto.markdown
index b14c179e017da5..0a1ea76f20e97b 100644
--- a/doc/api/crypto.markdown
+++ b/doc/api/crypto.markdown
@@ -815,6 +815,11 @@ with legacy programs that expect `'binary'` to be the default encoding.
 New applications should expect the default to be `'buffer'`. This property may
 become deprecated in a future Node.js release.
 
+### crypto.fips
+
+Property for checking and controlling whether a FIPS compliant crypto provider is
+currently in use. Setting to true requires a FIPS build of Node.js.
+
 ### crypto.createCipher(algorithm, password)
 
 Creates and returns a `Cipher` object that uses the given `algorithm` and
diff --git a/lib/crypto.js b/lib/crypto.js
index 4b0539406e5ac6..cf92eff1eec0bc 100644
--- a/lib/crypto.js
+++ b/lib/crypto.js
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ try {
   var getCiphers = binding.getCiphers;
   var getHashes = binding.getHashes;
   var getCurves = binding.getCurves;
+  var getFipsCrypto = binding.getFipsCrypto;
+  var setFipsCrypto = binding.setFipsCrypto;
 } catch (e) {
   throw new Error('Node.js is not compiled with openssl crypto support');
 }
@@ -645,6 +647,10 @@ exports.getCurves = function() {
   return filterDuplicates(getCurves());
 };
 
+Object.defineProperty(exports, 'fips', {
+  get: getFipsCrypto,
+  set: setFipsCrypto
+});
 
 function filterDuplicates(names) {
   // Drop all-caps names in favor of their lowercase aliases,
diff --git a/src/node.cc b/src/node.cc
index e11562af1acb96..c0e8dbcd44db21 100644
--- a/src/node.cc
+++ b/src/node.cc
@@ -161,6 +161,12 @@ static const char* icu_data_dir = nullptr;
 // used by C++ modules as well
 bool no_deprecation = false;
 
+#if HAVE_OPENSSL && NODE_FIPS_MODE
+// used by crypto module
+bool enable_fips_crypto = false;
+bool force_fips_crypto = false;
+#endif
+
 // process-relative uptime base, initialized at start-up
 static double prog_start_time;
 static bool debugger_running;
@@ -3283,7 +3289,11 @@ static void PrintHelp() {
          "  --v8-options          print v8 command line options\n"
 #if HAVE_OPENSSL
          "  --tls-cipher-list=val use an alternative default TLS cipher list\n"
-#endif
+#if NODE_FIPS_MODE
+         "  --enable-fips         enable FIPS crypto at startup\n"
+         "  --force-fips          force FIPS crypto (cannot be disabled)\n"
+#endif  /* NODE_FIPS_MODE */
+#endif /* HAVE_OPENSSL */
 #if defined(NODE_HAVE_I18N_SUPPORT)
          "  --icu-data-dir=dir    set ICU data load path to dir\n"
          "                        (overrides NODE_ICU_DATA)\n"
@@ -3425,7 +3435,13 @@ static void ParseArgs(int* argc,
 #if HAVE_OPENSSL
     } else if (strncmp(arg, "--tls-cipher-list=", 18) == 0) {
       default_cipher_list = arg + 18;
-#endif
+#if NODE_FIPS_MODE
+    } else if (strcmp(arg, "--enable-fips") == 0) {
+      enable_fips_crypto = true;
+    } else if (strcmp(arg, "--force-fips") == 0) {
+      force_fips_crypto = true;
+#endif /* NODE_FIPS_MODE */
+#endif /* HAVE_OPENSSL */
 #if defined(NODE_HAVE_I18N_SUPPORT)
     } else if (strncmp(arg, "--icu-data-dir=", 15) == 0) {
       icu_data_dir = arg + 15;
@@ -4224,6 +4240,11 @@ int Start(int argc, char** argv) {
   Init(&argc, const_cast<const char**>(argv), &exec_argc, &exec_argv);
 
 #if HAVE_OPENSSL
+#ifdef NODE_FIPS_MODE
+  // In the case of FIPS builds we should make sure
+  // the random source is properly initialized first.
+  OPENSSL_init();
+#endif  // NODE_FIPS_MODE
   // V8 on Windows doesn't have a good source of entropy. Seed it from
   // OpenSSL's pool.
   V8::SetEntropySource(crypto::EntropySource);
diff --git a/src/node.h b/src/node.h
index ef1f629d20aa0e..fcbb45085c5439 100644
--- a/src/node.h
+++ b/src/node.h
@@ -179,6 +179,10 @@ typedef intptr_t ssize_t;
 namespace node {
 
 NODE_EXTERN extern bool no_deprecation;
+#if HAVE_OPENSSL && NODE_FIPS_MODE
+NODE_EXTERN extern bool enable_fips_crypto;
+NODE_EXTERN extern bool force_fips_crypto;
+#endif
 
 NODE_EXTERN int Start(int argc, char *argv[]);
 NODE_EXTERN void Init(int* argc,
diff --git a/src/node_crypto.cc b/src/node_crypto.cc
index 5fe3632b109fa7..85fefe0bdf2ba8 100644
--- a/src/node_crypto.cc
+++ b/src/node_crypto.cc
@@ -3126,8 +3126,10 @@ void CipherBase::Init(const char* cipher_type,
   HandleScope scope(env()->isolate());
 
 #ifdef NODE_FIPS_MODE
-  return env()->ThrowError(
-    "crypto.createCipher() is not supported in FIPS mode.");
+  if (FIPS_mode()) {
+    return env()->ThrowError(
+        "crypto.createCipher() is not supported in FIPS mode.");
+  }
 #endif  // NODE_FIPS_MODE
 
   CHECK_EQ(cipher_, nullptr);
@@ -3858,7 +3860,7 @@ SignBase::Error Sign::SignFinal(const char* key_pem,
 
 #ifdef NODE_FIPS_MODE
   /* Validate DSA2 parameters from FIPS 186-4 */
-  if (EVP_PKEY_DSA == pkey->type) {
+  if (FIPS_mode() && EVP_PKEY_DSA == pkey->type) {
     size_t L = BN_num_bits(pkey->pkey.dsa->p);
     size_t N = BN_num_bits(pkey->pkey.dsa->q);
     bool result = false;
@@ -5665,14 +5667,21 @@ void InitCryptoOnce() {
   SSL_library_init();
   OpenSSL_add_all_algorithms();
   SSL_load_error_strings();
+  OPENSSL_config(NULL);
 
   crypto_lock_init();
   CRYPTO_set_locking_callback(crypto_lock_cb);
   CRYPTO_THREADID_set_callback(crypto_threadid_cb);
 
 #ifdef NODE_FIPS_MODE
-  if (!FIPS_mode_set(1)) {
-    int err = ERR_get_error();
+  /* Override FIPS settings in cnf file, if needed. */
+  unsigned long err = 0;
+  if (enable_fips_crypto || force_fips_crypto) {
+    if (0 == FIPS_mode() && !FIPS_mode_set(1)) {
+      err = ERR_get_error();
+    }
+  }
+  if (0 != err) {
     fprintf(stderr, "openssl fips failed: %s\n", ERR_error_string(err, NULL));
     UNREACHABLE();
   }
@@ -5739,6 +5748,29 @@ void SetEngine(const FunctionCallbackInfo<Value>& args) {
 }
 #endif  // !OPENSSL_NO_ENGINE
 
+void GetFipsCrypto(const FunctionCallbackInfo<Value>& args) {
+  if (FIPS_mode()) {
+    args.GetReturnValue().Set(1);
+  } else {
+    args.GetReturnValue().Set(0);
+  }
+}
+
+void SetFipsCrypto(const FunctionCallbackInfo<Value>& args) {
+  Environment* env = Environment::GetCurrent(args);
+#ifdef NODE_FIPS_MODE
+  bool mode = args[0]->BooleanValue();
+  if (force_fips_crypto) {
+    return env->ThrowError(
+        "Cannot set FIPS mode, it was forced with --force-fips at startup.");
+  } else if (!FIPS_mode_set(mode)) {
+    unsigned long err = ERR_get_error();
+    return ThrowCryptoError(env, err);
+  }
+#else
+  return env->ThrowError("Cannot set FIPS mode in a non-FIPS build.");
+#endif /* NODE_FIPS_MODE */
+}
 
 // FIXME(bnoordhuis) Handle global init correctly.
 void InitCrypto(Local<Object> target,
@@ -5763,6 +5795,8 @@ void InitCrypto(Local<Object> target,
 #ifndef OPENSSL_NO_ENGINE
   env->SetMethod(target, "setEngine", SetEngine);
 #endif  // !OPENSSL_NO_ENGINE
+  env->SetMethod(target, "getFipsCrypto", GetFipsCrypto);
+  env->SetMethod(target, "setFipsCrypto", SetFipsCrypto);
   env->SetMethod(target, "PBKDF2", PBKDF2);
   env->SetMethod(target, "randomBytes", RandomBytes);
   env->SetMethod(target, "getSSLCiphers", GetSSLCiphers);
diff --git a/test/common.js b/test/common.js
index b7c64d2852af13..cc54c65c7b2892 100644
--- a/test/common.js
+++ b/test/common.js
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ Object.defineProperty(exports, 'hasCrypto', {
 
 Object.defineProperty(exports, 'hasFipsCrypto', {
   get: function() {
-    return process.config.variables.openssl_fips ? true : false;
+    return exports.hasCrypto && require('crypto').fips;
   }
 });
 
diff --git a/test/fixtures/openssl_fips_disabled.cnf b/test/fixtures/openssl_fips_disabled.cnf
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..8668370fac52f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/openssl_fips_disabled.cnf
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+# Skeleton openssl.cnf for testing with FIPS
+
+openssl_conf = openssl_conf_section
+authorityKeyIdentifier=keyid:always,issuer:always
+
+[openssl_conf_section]
+ # Configuration module list
+alg_section = evp_sect
+
+[ evp_sect ]
+# Set to "yes" to enter FIPS mode if supported
+fips_mode = no
diff --git a/test/fixtures/openssl_fips_enabled.cnf b/test/fixtures/openssl_fips_enabled.cnf
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..9c1a90f5087727
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/openssl_fips_enabled.cnf
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+# Skeleton openssl.cnf for testing with FIPS
+
+openssl_conf = openssl_conf_section
+authorityKeyIdentifier=keyid:always,issuer:always
+
+[openssl_conf_section]
+ # Configuration module list
+alg_section = evp_sect
+
+[ evp_sect ]
+# Set to "yes" to enter FIPS mode if supported
+fips_mode = yes
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-crypto-fips.js b/test/parallel/test-crypto-fips.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..abccb450ad8681
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/parallel/test-crypto-fips.js
@@ -0,0 +1,180 @@
+'use strict';
+var common = require('../common');
+var assert = require('assert');
+var spawnSync = require('child_process').spawnSync;
+var path = require('path');
+
+if (!common.hasCrypto) {
+  console.log('1..0 # Skipped: missing crypto');
+  return;
+}
+
+const FIPS_ENABLED = 1;
+const FIPS_DISABLED = 0;
+const FIPS_ERROR_STRING = 'Error: Cannot set FIPS mode';
+const OPTION_ERROR_STRING = 'bad option';
+const CNF_FIPS_ON = path.join(common.fixturesDir, 'openssl_fips_enabled.cnf');
+const CNF_FIPS_OFF = path.join(common.fixturesDir, 'openssl_fips_disabled.cnf');
+var num_children_ok = 0;
+
+function compiledWithFips() {
+  return process.config.variables.openssl_fips ? true : false;
+}
+
+function addToEnv(newVar, value) {
+  var envCopy = {};
+  for (const e in process.env) {
+    envCopy[e] = process.env[e];
+  }
+  envCopy[newVar] = value;
+  return envCopy;
+}
+
+function testHelper(stream, args, expectedOutput, cmd, env) {
+  const fullArgs = args.concat(['-e', 'console.log(' + cmd + ')']);
+  const child = spawnSync(process.execPath, fullArgs, {
+    cwd: path.dirname(process.execPath),
+    env: env
+  });
+
+  console.error('Spawned child [pid:' + child.pid + '] with cmd ' +
+      cmd + ' and args \'' + args + '\'');
+
+  function childOk(child) {
+    console.error('Child #' +  ++num_children_ok +
+        ' [pid:' + child.pid + '] OK.');
+  }
+
+  function responseHandler(buffer, expectedOutput) {
+    const response = buffer.toString();
+    assert.notEqual(0, response.length);
+    if (FIPS_ENABLED !== expectedOutput && FIPS_DISABLED !== expectedOutput) {
+      // In the case of expected errors just look for a substring.
+      assert.notEqual(-1, response.indexOf(expectedOutput));
+    } else {
+      // Normal path where we expect either FIPS enabled or disabled.
+      assert.equal(expectedOutput, response);
+    }
+    childOk(child);
+  }
+
+  responseHandler(child[stream], expectedOutput);
+}
+
+// By default FIPS should be off in both FIPS and non-FIPS builds.
+testHelper(
+  'stdout',
+  [],
+  FIPS_DISABLED,
+  'require("crypto").fips',
+  addToEnv('OPENSSL_CONF', ''));
+
+// --enable-fips should turn FIPS mode on
+testHelper(
+  compiledWithFips() ? 'stdout' : 'stderr',
+  ['--enable-fips'],
+  compiledWithFips() ? FIPS_ENABLED : OPTION_ERROR_STRING,
+  'require("crypto").fips',
+  process.env);
+
+//--force-fips should turn FIPS mode on
+testHelper(
+  compiledWithFips() ? 'stdout' : 'stderr',
+  ['--force-fips'],
+  compiledWithFips() ? FIPS_ENABLED : OPTION_ERROR_STRING,
+  'require("crypto").fips',
+  process.env);
+
+// OpenSSL config file should be able to turn on FIPS mode
+testHelper(
+  'stdout',
+  [],
+  compiledWithFips() ? FIPS_ENABLED : FIPS_DISABLED,
+  'require("crypto").fips',
+  addToEnv('OPENSSL_CONF', CNF_FIPS_ON));
+
+// --enable-fips should take precedence over OpenSSL config file
+testHelper(
+  compiledWithFips() ? 'stdout' : 'stderr',
+  ['--enable-fips'],
+  compiledWithFips() ? FIPS_ENABLED : OPTION_ERROR_STRING,
+  'require("crypto").fips',
+  addToEnv('OPENSSL_CONF', CNF_FIPS_OFF));
+
+// --force-fips should take precedence over OpenSSL config file
+testHelper(
+  compiledWithFips() ? 'stdout' : 'stderr',
+  ['--force-fips'],
+  compiledWithFips() ? FIPS_ENABLED : OPTION_ERROR_STRING,
+  'require("crypto").fips',
+  addToEnv('OPENSSL_CONF', CNF_FIPS_OFF));
+
+// setFipsCrypto should be able to turn FIPS mode on
+testHelper(
+  compiledWithFips() ? 'stdout' : 'stderr',
+  [],
+  compiledWithFips() ? FIPS_ENABLED : FIPS_ERROR_STRING,
+  '(require("crypto").fips = true,' +
+  'require("crypto").fips)',
+  addToEnv('OPENSSL_CONF', ''));
+
+// setFipsCrypto should be able to turn FIPS mode on and off
+testHelper(
+  compiledWithFips() ? 'stdout' : 'stderr',
+  [],
+  compiledWithFips() ? FIPS_DISABLED : FIPS_ERROR_STRING,
+  '(require("crypto").fips = true,' +
+  'require("crypto").fips = false,' +
+  'require("crypto").fips)',
+  addToEnv('OPENSSL_CONF', ''));
+
+// setFipsCrypto takes precedence over OpenSSL config file, FIPS on
+testHelper(
+  compiledWithFips() ? 'stdout' : 'stderr',
+  [],
+  compiledWithFips() ? FIPS_ENABLED : FIPS_ERROR_STRING,
+  '(require("crypto").fips = true,' +
+  'require("crypto").fips)',
+  addToEnv('OPENSSL_CONF', CNF_FIPS_OFF));
+
+// setFipsCrypto takes precedence over OpenSSL config file, FIPS off
+testHelper(
+  compiledWithFips() ? 'stdout' : 'stderr',
+  [],
+  compiledWithFips() ? FIPS_DISABLED : FIPS_ERROR_STRING,
+  '(require("crypto").fips = false,' +
+  'require("crypto").fips)',
+  addToEnv('OPENSSL_CONF', CNF_FIPS_ON));
+
+// --enable-fips does not prevent use of setFipsCrypto API
+testHelper(
+  compiledWithFips() ? 'stdout' : 'stderr',
+  ['--enable-fips'],
+  compiledWithFips() ? FIPS_DISABLED : OPTION_ERROR_STRING,
+  '(require("crypto").fips = false,' +
+  'require("crypto").fips)',
+  process.env);
+
+// --force-fips prevents use of setFipsCrypto API
+testHelper(
+  'stderr',
+  ['--force-fips'],
+  compiledWithFips() ? FIPS_ERROR_STRING : OPTION_ERROR_STRING,
+  'require("crypto").fips = false',
+  process.env);
+
+// --force-fips and --enable-fips order does not matter
+testHelper(
+  'stderr',
+  ['--force-fips', '--enable-fips'],
+  compiledWithFips() ? FIPS_ERROR_STRING : OPTION_ERROR_STRING,
+  'require("crypto").fips = false',
+  process.env);
+
+//--enable-fips and --force-fips order does not matter
+testHelper(
+  'stderr',
+  ['--enable-fips', '--force-fips'],
+  compiledWithFips() ? FIPS_ERROR_STRING : OPTION_ERROR_STRING,
+  'require("crypto").fips = false',
+  process.env);
diff --git a/test/pummel/test-crypto-dh.js b/test/pummel/test-crypto-dh.js
index 596d107a287a28..8d732ed92efd10 100644
--- a/test/pummel/test-crypto-dh.js
+++ b/test/pummel/test-crypto-dh.js
@@ -2,9 +2,7 @@
 var common = require('../common');
 var assert = require('assert');
 
-try {
-  var crypto = require('crypto');
-} catch (e) {
+if (!common.hasCrypto) {
   console.log('1..0 # Skipped: node compiled without OpenSSL.');
   return;
 }