diff --git a/doc/api/os.markdown b/doc/api/os.markdown
index 9202c74914c374..e3e40ee2df85a8 100644
--- a/doc/api/os.markdown
+++ b/doc/api/os.markdown
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@ Use `require('os')` to access this module.
 
 Returns the operating system's default directory for temporary files.
 
+## os.homedir()
+
+Returns the home directory path of the current user.
+
 ## os.endianness()
 
 Returns the endianness of the CPU. Possible values are `'BE'` for big endian
diff --git a/lib/os.js b/lib/os.js
index cd4eb1c12f49bc..50a17b3e33f411 100644
--- a/lib/os.js
+++ b/lib/os.js
@@ -51,3 +51,8 @@ if (binding.isBigEndian)
   exports.endianness = function() { return 'BE'; };
 else
   exports.endianness = function() { return 'LE'; };
+
+exports.homedir = function() {
+  const location = isWindows ? process.env.USERPROFILE : process.env.HOME;
+  return location;
+};
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-os.js b/test/parallel/test-os.js
index b5f39973a6f71f..200763c5ed86d3 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-os.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-os.js
@@ -90,3 +90,9 @@ switch (platform) {
 
 var EOL = os.EOL;
 assert.ok(EOL.length > 0);
+
+if (process.platform === 'win32') {
+  assert.equal(os.homedir(), process.env.USERPROFILE);
+} else {
+  assert.equal(os.homedir(), process.env.HOME);
+}