diff --git a/lib/cli/src/commands/package/download.rs b/lib/cli/src/commands/package/download.rs
index c03b674d782..547de2965ba 100644
--- a/lib/cli/src/commands/package/download.rs
+++ b/lib/cli/src/commands/package/download.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ use indicatif::{ProgressBar, ProgressStyle};
 use tempfile::NamedTempFile;
 use wasmer_config::package::{PackageIdent, PackageSource};
 use wasmer_registry::wasmer_env::WasmerEnv;
+use wasmer_wasix::http::reqwest::get_proxy;
 
 /// Download a package from the registry.
 #[derive(clap::Parser, Debug)]
@@ -138,7 +139,15 @@ impl PackageDownload {
             PackageSource::Url(url) => bail!("cannot download a package from a URL: '{}'", url),
         };
 
-        let client = reqwest::blocking::Client::new();
+        let builder = {
+            let mut builder = reqwest::blocking::ClientBuilder::new();
+            if let Some(proxy) = get_proxy()? {
+                builder = builder.proxy(proxy);
+            }
+            builder
+        };
+        let client = builder.build().context("failed to create reqwest client")?;
+
         let mut b = client
             .get(download_url)
             .header(http::header::ACCEPT, "application/webc");
diff --git a/lib/wasix/Cargo.toml b/lib/wasix/Cargo.toml
index d586e898588..163847189cd 100644
--- a/lib/wasix/Cargo.toml
+++ b/lib/wasix/Cargo.toml
@@ -104,13 +104,13 @@ web-sys = { version = "0.3.64", features = [
 [target.'cfg(not(target_arch = "riscv64"))'.dependencies.reqwest]
 version = "0.11"
 default-features = false
-features = ["rustls-tls", "json", "stream", "socks"]
+features = ["rustls-tls", "json", "stream", "socks", "blocking"]
 optional = true
 
 [target.'cfg(target_arch = "riscv64")'.dependencies.reqwest]
 version = "0.11"
 default-features = false
-features = ["native-tls", "json", "stream", "socks"]
+features = ["native-tls", "json", "stream", "socks", "blocking"]
 optional = true
 
 [target.'cfg(unix)'.dependencies]
diff --git a/lib/wasix/src/http/reqwest.rs b/lib/wasix/src/http/reqwest.rs
index cb84dc4267d..c3827bdafca 100644
--- a/lib/wasix/src/http/reqwest.rs
+++ b/lib/wasix/src/http/reqwest.rs
@@ -42,17 +42,15 @@ impl ReqwestHttpClient {
             .with_context(|| format!("Invalid http method {}", request.method))?;
 
         // TODO: use persistent client?
-        let client = {
+        let builder = {
             let _guard = Handle::try_current().map_err(|_| self.handle.enter());
-            let mut builder = reqwest::Client::builder().connect_timeout(self.connect_timeout);
-
-            let proxy = env::var("http_proxy").or_else(|_| env::var("HTTP_PROXY"));
-            if let Ok(scheme) = proxy {
-                builder = builder.proxy(reqwest::Proxy::all(scheme)?);
+            let mut builder = reqwest::ClientBuilder::new().connect_timeout(self.connect_timeout);
+            if let Some(proxy) = get_proxy()? {
+                builder = builder.proxy(proxy);
             }
-
-            builder.build().context("Could not create reqwest client")?
+            builder
         };
+        let client = builder.build().context("failed to create reqwest client")?;
 
         let mut builder = client.request(method, request.url.as_str());
         for (header, val) in &request.headers {
@@ -98,3 +96,13 @@ impl super::HttpClient for ReqwestHttpClient {
         Box::pin(f)
     }
 }
+
+pub fn get_proxy() -> Result<Option<reqwest::Proxy>, anyhow::Error> {
+    if let Ok(scheme) = env::var("http_proxy").or_else(|_| env::var("HTTP_PROXY")) {
+        let proxy = reqwest::Proxy::all(scheme)?;
+
+        Ok(Some(proxy))
+    } else {
+        Ok(None)
+    }
+}