diff --git a/crates/volta-core/src/project/mod.rs b/crates/volta-core/src/project/mod.rs
index 745739db0..2ce193d00 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 +122,25 @@ impl Project {
         })
     }
 
+    /// Returns a Node.js version from .node_version_file
+    fn platform_from_node_version(manifest_file: &Path) -> Option<PlatformSpec> {
+        // project path without package.json
+        let project_path = manifest_file.parent()?;
+
+        match std::fs::read_to_string(project_path.join(".node_version")) {
+            Ok(version) => match Version::parse(version) {
+                Ok(node) => Some(PlatformSpec {
+                    node,
+                    yarn: None,
+                    npm: None,
+                    pnpm: None,
+                }),
+                Err(_) => None,
+            },
+            Err(_) => None,
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Returns a reference to the manifest file for the current project
     pub fn manifest_file(&self) -> &Path {
         &self.manifest_file