diff --git a/lib/http.js b/lib/http.js
index 6931a0e26c138a..bba0fec9fd8652 100644
--- a/lib/http.js
+++ b/lib/http.js
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ const client = require('_http_client');
 const ClientRequest = exports.ClientRequest = client.ClientRequest;
 
 exports.request = function request(options, cb) {
+  options._defaultAgent = options._defaultAgent || exports.globalAgent || agent.globalAgent;
   return new ClientRequest(options, cb);
 };
 
diff --git a/lib/https.js b/lib/https.js
index b8969b68452451..96ed03ba35e8fe 100644
--- a/lib/https.js
+++ b/lib/https.js
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ exports.request = function(options, cb) {
   } else {
     options = util._extend({}, options);
   }
-  options._defaultAgent = globalAgent;
+  options._defaultAgent = exports.globalAgent || globalAgent;
   return http.request(options, cb);
 };