diff --git a/nvm.sh b/nvm.sh
index c4a948f565b..a0c451f472c 100644
--- a/nvm.sh
+++ b/nvm.sh
@@ -163,7 +163,11 @@ nvm_is_version_installed() {
 
 nvm_print_npm_version() {
   if nvm_has "npm"; then
-    command printf " (npm v$(npm --version 2>/dev/null))"
+    local NPM_VERSION
+    NPM_VERSION="$(npm --version 2>/dev/null)"
+    if [ -n "${NPM_VERSION}" ]; then
+      command printf " (npm v${NPM_VERSION})"
+    fi
   fi
 }
 
@@ -1130,7 +1134,7 @@ nvm_ls_current() {
     if [ "${VERSION}" = "v0.6.21-pre" ]; then
       nvm_echo 'v0.6.21'
     else
-      nvm_echo "${VERSION}"
+      nvm_echo "${VERSION:-none}"
     fi
   else
     nvm_echo 'system'