diff --git a/lib/http-proxy/common.js b/lib/http-proxy/common.js
index 789757880..5ec87ff44 100644
--- a/lib/http-proxy/common.js
+++ b/lib/http-proxy/common.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 var common = exports,
     url    = require('url'),
+    http   = require('http'),
     extend = require('util')._extend;
 
 /**
@@ -42,8 +43,8 @@ common.setupOutgoing = function(outgoing, options, req, forward) {
     outgoing.rejectUnauthorized = (typeof options.secure === "undefined") ? true : options.secure;
   }
 
+  outgoing.agent = (options.agent == null) ? http.globalAgent : options.agent
 
-  outgoing.agent = options.agent || false;
   outgoing.path = url.parse(req.url).path;
   return outgoing;
 };