diff --git a/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/empty-dot-node-version/.node-version b/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/empty-dot-node-version/.node-version
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/empty-dot-node-version/package.json b/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/empty-dot-node-version/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..59de32abd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/empty-dot-node-version/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+{
+  "name": "dot-node-version",
+  "version": "0.0.1",
+  "description": "Testing .node-version file",
+  "license": "To Kill"
+}
diff --git a/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/has-both/.node-version b/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/has-both/.node-version
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ceda194c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/has-both/.node-version
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+6.11.0
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/has-both/package.json b/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/has-both/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..82fc2d78c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/has-both/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+{
+  "name": "dot-node-version",
+  "version": "0.0.1",
+  "description": "Testing .node-version file",
+  "license": "To Kill",
+  "volta": {
+    "node": "6.11.1"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/has-none/package.json b/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/has-none/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..59de32abd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/has-none/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+{
+  "name": "dot-node-version",
+  "version": "0.0.1",
+  "description": "Testing .node-version file",
+  "license": "To Kill"
+}
diff --git a/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/malformed-dot-node-version/.node-version b/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/malformed-dot-node-version/.node-version
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..82e397876
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/malformed-dot-node-version/.node-version
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+v6
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/malformed-dot-node-version/package.json b/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/malformed-dot-node-version/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..59de32abd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/malformed-dot-node-version/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+{
+  "name": "dot-node-version",
+  "version": "0.0.1",
+  "description": "Testing .node-version file",
+  "license": "To Kill"
+}
diff --git a/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/only-dot-node-version-with-v/.node-version b/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/only-dot-node-version-with-v/.node-version
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..536f023d0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/only-dot-node-version-with-v/.node-version
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+v6.11.0
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/only-dot-node-version-with-v/package.json b/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/only-dot-node-version-with-v/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..59de32abd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/only-dot-node-version-with-v/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+{
+  "name": "dot-node-version",
+  "version": "0.0.1",
+  "description": "Testing .node-version file",
+  "license": "To Kill"
+}
diff --git a/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/only-dot-node-version/.node-version b/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/only-dot-node-version/.node-version
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ceda194c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/only-dot-node-version/.node-version
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+6.11.0
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/only-dot-node-version/package.json b/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/only-dot-node-version/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..59de32abd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/volta-core/fixtures/dot-node-version/only-dot-node-version/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+{
+  "name": "dot-node-version",
+  "version": "0.0.1",
+  "description": "Testing .node-version file",
+  "license": "To Kill"
+}
diff --git a/crates/volta-core/src/error/kind.rs b/crates/volta-core/src/error/kind.rs
index 6add88efa..2ab8c3e6f 100644
--- a/crates/volta-core/src/error/kind.rs
+++ b/crates/volta-core/src/error/kind.rs
@@ -106,6 +106,10 @@ pub enum ErrorKind {
         advice: String,
     },
 
+    DotNodeVersionMalformed {
+        file: PathBuf,
+    },
+
     DownloadToolNetworkError {
         tool: tool::Spec,
         from_url: String,
@@ -679,7 +683,10 @@ at {}
             ),
             ErrorKind::DeprecatedCommandError { command, advice } => {
                 write!(f, "The subcommand `{}` is deprecated.\n{}", command, advice)
-            }
+            },
+            ErrorKind::DotNodeVersionMalformed { file } => {
+                write!(f, "The .node-version file at {} is malformed", file.display())
+            },
             ErrorKind::DownloadToolNetworkError { tool, from_url } => write!(
                 f,
                 "Could not download {}
@@ -1479,6 +1486,7 @@ impl ErrorKind {
             ErrorKind::DeleteDirectoryError { .. } => ExitCode::FileSystemError,
             ErrorKind::DeleteFileError { .. } => ExitCode::FileSystemError,
             ErrorKind::DeprecatedCommandError { .. } => ExitCode::InvalidArguments,
+            ErrorKind::DotNodeVersionMalformed { .. } => ExitCode::ConfigurationError,
             ErrorKind::DownloadToolNetworkError { .. } => ExitCode::NetworkError,
             ErrorKind::ExecuteHookError { .. } => ExitCode::ExecutionFailure,
             ErrorKind::ExtensionCycleError { .. } => ExitCode::ConfigurationError,
diff --git a/crates/volta-core/src/project/mod.rs b/crates/volta-core/src/project/mod.rs
index 1e9d7379b..cd6349359 100644
--- a/crates/volta-core/src/project/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/volta-core/src/project/mod.rs
@@ -109,7 +109,10 @@ impl Project {
             extends = manifest.extends;
         }
 
-        let platform = platform.map(TryInto::try_into).transpose()?;
+        let platform = match platform.map(TryInto::try_into).transpose()? {
+            Some(platform) => Some(platform),
+            None => Self::platform_from_node_version(&manifest_file)?,
+        };
 
         Ok(Project {
             manifest_file,
@@ -119,6 +122,45 @@ impl Project {
         })
     }
 
+    /// Returns a Node.js version from .node-version file
+    fn platform_from_node_version(
+        manifest_file: &Path,
+    ) -> Result<Option<PlatformSpec>, VoltaError> {
+        // Project path (without package.json)
+        let project_path = match manifest_file.parent() {
+            Some(path) => path,
+            None => return Ok(None),
+        };
+        let version_file_path = project_path.join(".node-version");
+
+        if !version_file_path.exists() {
+            return Ok(None);
+        }
+
+        let version_content = std::fs::read_to_string(&version_file_path).map_err(|_| {
+            ErrorKind::DotNodeVersionMalformed {
+                file: version_file_path.clone(),
+            }
+        })?;
+        let version = version_content
+            .trim()
+            .strip_prefix('v')
+            .unwrap_or(version_content.trim());
+
+        match Version::parse(version) {
+            Ok(node) => Ok(Some(PlatformSpec {
+                node,
+                yarn: None,
+                npm: None,
+                pnpm: None,
+            })),
+            Err(_) => Err(ErrorKind::DotNodeVersionMalformed {
+                file: version_file_path.clone(),
+            }
+            .into()),
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Returns a reference to the manifest file for the current project
     pub fn manifest_file(&self) -> &Path {
         &self.manifest_file
diff --git a/crates/volta-core/src/project/tests.rs b/crates/volta-core/src/project/tests.rs
index a5f774727..107729916 100644
--- a/crates/volta-core/src/project/tests.rs
+++ b/crates/volta-core/src/project/tests.rs
@@ -80,6 +80,78 @@ mod project {
         assert_eq!(platform.yarn, Some("1.2.0".parse().unwrap()));
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn platform_dot_node_version() {
+        let project_path = fixture_path(&["dot-node-version", "only-dot-node-version"]);
+        let test_project = Project::for_dir(project_path).unwrap().unwrap();
+        let platform = test_project.platform().unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(platform.node, "6.11.0".parse().unwrap());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn platform_dot_node_version_and_package_json() {
+        let project_path = fixture_path(&["dot-node-version", "has-both"]);
+        let test_project = Project::for_dir(project_path).unwrap().unwrap();
+        let platform = test_project.platform().unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(platform.node, "6.11.1".parse().unwrap());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn platform_dot_node_version_with_v() {
+        let project_path = fixture_path(&["dot-node-version", "only-dot-node-version-with-v"]);
+        let test_project = Project::for_dir(project_path).unwrap().unwrap();
+        let platform = test_project.platform().unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(platform.node, "6.11.0".parse().unwrap());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn platform_dot_node_version_no_node() {
+        let project_path = fixture_path(&["dot-node-version", "has-none"]);
+        let test_project = Project::for_dir(project_path).unwrap().unwrap();
+        let platform = test_project.platform();
+
+        assert!(platform.is_none());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn platform_dot_node_version_malformed() {
+        let project_path = fixture_path(&["dot-node-version", "malformed-dot-node-version"]);
+        let project_error = Project::for_dir(project_path).unwrap_err();
+
+        match project_error.kind() {
+            ErrorKind::DotNodeVersionMalformed { file } => {
+                let expected_path = fixture_path(&[
+                    "dot-node-version",
+                    "malformed-dot-node-version",
+                    ".node-version",
+                ]);
+                assert_eq!(&expected_path, file);
+            }
+            kind => panic!("Wrong error kind: {:?}", kind),
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn platform_dot_node_version_empty() {
+        let project_path = fixture_path(&["dot-node-version", "empty-dot-node-version"]);
+        let project_error = Project::for_dir(project_path).unwrap_err();
+
+        match project_error.kind() {
+            ErrorKind::DotNodeVersionMalformed { file } => {
+                let expected_path = fixture_path(&[
+                    "dot-node-version",
+                    "empty-dot-node-version",
+                    ".node-version",
+                ]);
+                assert_eq!(&expected_path, file);
+            }
+            kind => panic!("Wrong error kind: {:?}", kind),
+        }
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn platform_workspace() {
         let project_path = fixture_path(&["nested", "subproject", "inner_project"]);