diff --git a/packages/angular/cli/commands/add-impl.ts b/packages/angular/cli/commands/add-impl.ts
index b30ab9fbb7bb..d61d728159e7 100644
--- a/packages/angular/cli/commands/add-impl.ts
+++ b/packages/angular/cli/commands/add-impl.ts
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ export class AddCommand extends SchematicCommand<AddCommandSchema> {
   }
 
   async run(options: AddCommandSchema & Arguments) {
-    ensureCompatibleNpm();
+    await ensureCompatibleNpm(this.context.root);
 
     if (!options.collection) {
       this.logger.fatal(
diff --git a/packages/angular/cli/commands/new-impl.ts b/packages/angular/cli/commands/new-impl.ts
index 33170dcd22db..ffa81815c9b8 100644
--- a/packages/angular/cli/commands/new-impl.ts
+++ b/packages/angular/cli/commands/new-impl.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ export class NewCommand extends SchematicCommand<NewCommandSchema> {
   }
 
   public async run(options: NewCommandSchema & Arguments) {
-    ensureCompatibleNpm();
+    await ensureCompatibleNpm(this.context.root);
 
     // Register the version of the CLI in the registry.
     const packageJson = require('../package.json');
diff --git a/packages/angular/cli/commands/update-impl.ts b/packages/angular/cli/commands/update-impl.ts
index 35315c50929e..38b8c138bb8e 100644
--- a/packages/angular/cli/commands/update-impl.ts
+++ b/packages/angular/cli/commands/update-impl.ts
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ export class UpdateCommand extends Command<UpdateCommandSchema> {
 
   // tslint:disable-next-line:no-big-function
   async run(options: UpdateCommandSchema & Arguments) {
-    ensureCompatibleNpm();
+    await ensureCompatibleNpm(this.context.root);
 
     // Check if the current installed CLI version is older than the latest version.
     if (!disableVersionCheck && await this.checkCLILatestVersion(options.verbose, options.next)) {
diff --git a/packages/angular/cli/utilities/package-manager.ts b/packages/angular/cli/utilities/package-manager.ts
index 5c21c0348310..3789c56ea23b 100644
--- a/packages/angular/cli/utilities/package-manager.ts
+++ b/packages/angular/cli/utilities/package-manager.ts
@@ -58,7 +58,11 @@ export async function getPackageManager(root: string): Promise<PackageManager> {
 /**
  * Checks if the npm version is version 6.x.  If not, display a message and exit.
  */
-export function ensureCompatibleNpm() {
+export async function ensureCompatibleNpm(root: string): Promise<void> {
+  if ((await getPackageManager(root)) !== PackageManager.Npm) {
+    return;
+  }
+
   try {
     const version = execSync('npm --version', {encoding: 'utf8', stdio: 'pipe'}).trim();
     const major = Number(version.match(/^(\d+)\./)?.[1]);