diff --git a/lib/node/agent.js b/lib/node/agent.js
index 2b9d912e1..a88dfa3a0 100644
--- a/lib/node/agent.js
+++ b/lib/node/agent.js
@@ -55,7 +55,13 @@ Agent.prototype.attachCookies = function(req){
 };
 
 // generate HTTP verb methods
-methods.indexOf('del') == -1 && methods.push('del');
+if (methods.indexOf('del') == -1) {
+  // create a copy so we don't cause conflicts with
+  // other packages using the methods package and
+  // npm 3.x
+  methods = methods.slice(0);
+  methods.push('del');
+}
 methods.forEach(function(method){
   var name = method;
   method = 'del' == method ? 'delete' : method;
diff --git a/lib/node/index.js b/lib/node/index.js
index e2bb934b6..442debc46 100644
--- a/lib/node/index.js
+++ b/lib/node/index.js
@@ -1162,7 +1162,13 @@ function request(method, url) {
 }
 
 // generate HTTP verb methods
-methods.indexOf('del') == -1 && methods.push('del');
+if (methods.indexOf('del') == -1) {
+  // create a copy so we don't cause conflicts with
+  // other packages using the methods package and
+  // npm 3.x
+  methods = methods.slice(0);
+  methods.push('del');
+}
 methods.forEach(function(method){
   var name = method;
   method = 'del' == method ? 'delete' : method;