diff --git a/src/cli/commands/install.js b/src/cli/commands/install.js
index d40146dd44..928e325c3a 100644
--- a/src/cli/commands/install.js
+++ b/src/cli/commands/install.js
@@ -199,6 +199,11 @@ export class Install {
     // remove integrity hash to make this operation atomic
     await fs.unlink(match.loc);
 
+    // warn if we have a shrinkwrap
+    if (await fs.exists(path.join(this.config.cwd, 'npm-shrinkwrap.json'))) {
+      this.reporter.error(this.reporter.lang('shrinkwrapWarning'));
+    }
+
     //
     let patterns = rawPatterns;
     let steps: Array<(curr: number, total: number) => Promise<void>> = [];
diff --git a/src/reporters/lang/en.js b/src/reporters/lang/en.js
index 563962f0d9..09053069f1 100644
--- a/src/reporters/lang/en.js
+++ b/src/reporters/lang/en.js
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ let messages = {
   invalidHostedGitFragment: 'Invalid hosted git fragment $0.',
   couldntFindManifestIn: "Couldn't find manifest in $0.",
   invalidFragment: 'Invalid fragment $0.',
+  shrinkwrapWarning: 'npm-shrinkwrap.json found. This will not be updated or respected. See [TODO] for more information.',
 
   commandNotSpecified: 'No command specified.',
   possibleCommands: 'Possible commands',