diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 1986b1a8..356dbf00 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -166,6 +166,7 @@ test_run_tests_SOURCES = test/blackhole-server.c \
                          test/test-eintr-handling.c \
                          test/test-embed.c \
                          test/test-emfile.c \
+                         test/test-env-vars.c \
                          test/test-error.c \
                          test/test-fail-always.c \
                          test/test-fs-event.c \
diff --git a/checksparse.sh b/checksparse.sh
index 68e3bde3..5e022071 100755
--- a/checksparse.sh
+++ b/checksparse.sh
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ test/test-cwd-and-chdir.c
 test/test-delayed-accept.c
 test/test-dlerror.c
 test/test-embed.c
+test/test-env-vars.c
 test/test-error.c
 test/test-fail-always.c
 test/test-fs-event.c
diff --git a/docs/src/misc.rst b/docs/src/misc.rst
index 71934694..5827787e 100644
--- a/docs/src/misc.rst
+++ b/docs/src/misc.rst
@@ -386,3 +386,38 @@ API
         stability guarantees.
 
     .. versionadded:: 1.8.0
+
+.. c:function:: int uv_os_getenv(const char* name, char* buffer, size_t* size)
+
+    Retrieves the environment variable specified by `name`, copies its value
+    into `buffer`, and sets `size` to the string length of the value. When
+    calling this function, `size` must be set to the amount of storage available
+    in `buffer`, including the null terminator. If the environment variable
+    exceeds the storage available in `buffer`, `UV_ENOBUFS` is returned, and
+    `size` is set to the amount of storage required to hold the value. If no
+    matching environment variable exists, `UV_ENOENT` is returned.
+
+    .. warning::
+        This function is not thread safe.
+
+    .. versionadded:: 1.12.0
+
+.. c:function:: int uv_os_setenv(const char* name, const char* value)
+
+    Creates or updates the environment variable specified by `name` with
+    `value`.
+
+    .. warning::
+        This function is not thread safe.
+
+    .. versionadded:: 1.12.0
+
+.. c:function:: int uv_os_unsetenv(const char* name)
+
+    Deletes the environment variable specified by `name`. If no such environment
+    variable exists, this function returns successfully.
+
+    .. warning::
+        This function is not thread safe.
+
+    .. versionadded:: 1.12.0
diff --git a/include/uv.h b/include/uv.h
index e5230bb5..9745bd29 100644
--- a/include/uv.h
+++ b/include/uv.h
@@ -1073,6 +1073,10 @@ UV_EXTERN int uv_interface_addresses(uv_interface_address_t** addresses,
 UV_EXTERN void uv_free_interface_addresses(uv_interface_address_t* addresses,
                                            int count);
 
+UV_EXTERN int uv_os_getenv(const char* name, char* buffer, size_t* size);
+UV_EXTERN int uv_os_setenv(const char* name, const char* value);
+UV_EXTERN int uv_os_unsetenv(const char* name);
+
 
 typedef enum {
   UV_FS_UNKNOWN = -1,
diff --git a/src/unix/core.c b/src/unix/core.c
index 9ef71349..2a7a6420 100644
--- a/src/unix/core.c
+++ b/src/unix/core.c
@@ -1240,3 +1240,48 @@ int uv_translate_sys_error(int sys_errno) {
   /* If < 0 then it's already a libuv error. */
   return sys_errno <= 0 ? sys_errno : -sys_errno;
 }
+
+
+int uv_os_getenv(const char* name, char* buffer, size_t* size) {
+  char* var;
+  size_t len;
+
+  if (name == NULL || buffer == NULL || size == NULL || *size == 0)
+    return -EINVAL;
+
+  var = getenv(name);
+
+  if (var == NULL)
+    return -ENOENT;
+
+  len = strlen(var);
+
+  if (len >= *size) {
+    *size = len + 1;
+    return -ENOBUFS;
+  }
+
+  memcpy(buffer, var, len + 1);
+  *size = len;
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+
+int uv_os_setenv(const char* name, const char* value) {
+  if (value == NULL)
+    return -EINVAL;
+
+  if (setenv(name, value, 1) != 0)
+    return -errno;
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+
+int uv_os_unsetenv(const char* name) {
+  if (unsetenv(name) != 0)
+    return -errno;
+
+  return 0;
+}
diff --git a/src/win/util.c b/src/win/util.c
index 050058af..39f670c4 100644
--- a/src/win/util.c
+++ b/src/win/util.c
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@
 # define UNLEN 256
 #endif
 
+/* Maximum environment variable size, including the terminating null */
+#define MAX_ENV_VAR_LENGTH 32767
+
 /* Cached copy of the process title, plus a mutex guarding it. */
 static char *process_title;
 static CRITICAL_SECTION process_title_lock;
@@ -1387,3 +1390,180 @@ int uv__getpwuid_r(uv_passwd_t* pwd) {
 int uv_os_get_passwd(uv_passwd_t* pwd) {
   return uv__getpwuid_r(pwd);
 }
+
+
+int uv_os_getenv(const char* name, char* buffer, size_t* size) {
+  wchar_t var[MAX_ENV_VAR_LENGTH];
+  wchar_t* name_w;
+  DWORD bufsize;
+  size_t len;
+  int r;
+
+  if (name == NULL || buffer == NULL || size == NULL || *size == 0)
+    return UV_EINVAL;
+
+  /* Determine the size of the wide character name */
+  bufsize = MultiByteToWideChar(CP_UTF8, 0, name, -1, NULL, 0);
+
+  if (bufsize == 0)
+    return uv_translate_sys_error(GetLastError());
+
+  /* Convert the environment variable name to a wide character string */
+  name_w = uv__malloc(sizeof(wchar_t) * bufsize);
+
+  if (name_w == NULL)
+    return UV_ENOMEM;
+
+  bufsize = MultiByteToWideChar(CP_UTF8, 0, name, -1, name_w, bufsize);
+
+  if (bufsize == 0) {
+    uv__free(name_w);
+    return uv_translate_sys_error(GetLastError());
+  }
+
+  len = GetEnvironmentVariableW(name_w, var, MAX_ENV_VAR_LENGTH);
+  uv__free(name_w);
+  assert(len < MAX_ENV_VAR_LENGTH); /* len does not include the null */
+
+  if (len == 0) {
+    r = GetLastError();
+
+    if (r == ERROR_ENVVAR_NOT_FOUND)
+      return UV_ENOENT;
+
+    return uv_translate_sys_error(r);
+  }
+
+  /* Check how much space we need */
+  bufsize = WideCharToMultiByte(CP_UTF8, 0, var, -1, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL);
+
+  if (bufsize == 0) {
+    return uv_translate_sys_error(GetLastError());
+  } else if (bufsize > *size) {
+    *size = bufsize;
+    return UV_ENOBUFS;
+  }
+
+  /* Convert to UTF-8 */
+  bufsize = WideCharToMultiByte(CP_UTF8,
+                                0,
+                                var,
+                                -1,
+                                buffer,
+                                *size,
+                                NULL,
+                                NULL);
+
+  if (bufsize == 0)
+    return uv_translate_sys_error(GetLastError());
+
+  *size = bufsize - 1;
+  return 0;
+}
+
+
+int uv_os_setenv(const char* name, const char* value) {
+  wchar_t* name_w;
+  wchar_t* value_w;
+  DWORD bufsize;
+  int r;
+
+  if (name == NULL || value == NULL)
+    return UV_EINVAL;
+
+  name_w = NULL;
+  value_w = NULL;
+  r = 0;
+
+  /* Determine the size of the wide character name */
+  bufsize = MultiByteToWideChar(CP_UTF8, 0, name, -1, NULL, 0);
+
+  if (bufsize == 0) {
+    r = uv_translate_sys_error(GetLastError());
+    goto out;
+  }
+
+  /* Convert the environment variable name to a wide character string */
+  name_w = uv__malloc(sizeof(wchar_t) * bufsize);
+
+  if (name_w == NULL) {
+    r = UV_ENOMEM;
+    goto out;
+  }
+
+  bufsize = MultiByteToWideChar(CP_UTF8, 0, name, -1, name_w, bufsize);
+
+  if (bufsize == 0) {
+    r = uv_translate_sys_error(GetLastError());
+    goto out;
+  }
+
+  /* Determine the size of the wide character value */
+  bufsize = MultiByteToWideChar(CP_UTF8, 0, value, -1, NULL, 0);
+
+  if (bufsize == 0) {
+    r = uv_translate_sys_error(GetLastError());
+    goto out;
+  }
+
+  /* Convert the environment variable value to a wide character string */
+  value_w = uv__malloc(sizeof(wchar_t) * bufsize);
+
+  if (value_w == NULL) {
+    r = UV_ENOMEM;
+    goto out;
+  }
+
+  bufsize = MultiByteToWideChar(CP_UTF8, 0, value, -1, value_w, bufsize);
+
+  if (bufsize == 0) {
+    r = uv_translate_sys_error(GetLastError());
+    goto out;
+  }
+
+  if (SetEnvironmentVariableW(name_w, value_w) == 0)
+    r = uv_translate_sys_error(GetLastError());
+
+out:
+  uv__free(name_w);
+  uv__free(value_w);
+
+  return r;
+}
+
+
+int uv_os_unsetenv(const char* name) {
+  wchar_t* name_w;
+  DWORD bufsize;
+  int r;
+
+  if (name == NULL)
+    return UV_EINVAL;
+
+  /* Determine the size of the wide character name */
+  bufsize = MultiByteToWideChar(CP_UTF8, 0, name, -1, NULL, 0);
+
+  if (bufsize == 0)
+    return uv_translate_sys_error(GetLastError());
+
+  /* Convert the environment variable name to a wide character string */
+  name_w = uv__malloc(sizeof(wchar_t) * bufsize);
+
+  if (name_w == NULL)
+    return UV_ENOMEM;
+
+  bufsize = MultiByteToWideChar(CP_UTF8, 0, name, -1, name_w, bufsize);
+
+  if (bufsize == 0) {
+    uv__free(name_w);
+    return uv_translate_sys_error(GetLastError());
+  }
+
+  r = SetEnvironmentVariableW(name_w, NULL);
+  uv__free(name_w);
+
+  if (r == 0)
+    return uv_translate_sys_error(GetLastError());
+
+  return 0;
+}
diff --git a/test/test-env-vars.c b/test/test-env-vars.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7aa5881a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test-env-vars.c
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+/* Copyright libuv contributors. All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+ * of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to
+ * deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the
+ * rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or
+ * sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+ * furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+ *
+ * The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in
+ * all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+ *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+ * IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+ * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+ * AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+ * LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING
+ * FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS
+ * IN THE SOFTWARE.
+ */
+
+#include "uv.h"
+#include "task.h"
+#include <string.h>
+
+#define BUF_SIZE 10
+
+TEST_IMPL(env_vars) {
+  const char* name = "UV_TEST_FOO";
+  char buf[BUF_SIZE];
+  size_t size;
+  int r;
+
+  /* Reject invalid inputs when setting an environment variable */
+  r = uv_os_setenv(NULL, "foo");
+  ASSERT(r == UV_EINVAL);
+  r = uv_os_setenv(name, NULL);
+  ASSERT(r == UV_EINVAL);
+
+  /* Reject invalid inputs when retrieving an environment variable */
+  size = BUF_SIZE;
+  r = uv_os_getenv(NULL, buf, &size);
+  ASSERT(r == UV_EINVAL);
+  r = uv_os_getenv(name, NULL, &size);
+  ASSERT(r == UV_EINVAL);
+  r = uv_os_getenv(name, buf, NULL);
+  ASSERT(r == UV_EINVAL);
+  size = 0;
+  r = uv_os_getenv(name, buf, &size);
+  ASSERT(r == UV_EINVAL);
+
+  /* Reject invalid inputs when deleting an environment variable */
+  r = uv_os_unsetenv(NULL);
+  ASSERT(r == UV_EINVAL);
+
+  /* Successfully set an environment variable */
+  r = uv_os_setenv(name, "123456789");
+  ASSERT(r == 0);
+
+  /* Successfully read an environment variable */
+  size = BUF_SIZE;
+  buf[0] = '\0';
+  r = uv_os_getenv(name, buf, &size);
+  ASSERT(r == 0);
+  ASSERT(strcmp(buf, "123456789") == 0);
+  ASSERT(size == BUF_SIZE - 1);
+
+  /* Return UV_ENOBUFS if the buffer cannot hold the environment variable */
+  size = BUF_SIZE - 1;
+  buf[0] = '\0';
+  r = uv_os_getenv(name, buf, &size);
+  ASSERT(r == UV_ENOBUFS);
+  ASSERT(size == BUF_SIZE);
+
+  /* Successfully delete an environment variable */
+  r = uv_os_unsetenv(name);
+  ASSERT(r == 0);
+
+  /* Return UV_ENOENT retrieving an environment variable that does not exist */
+  r = uv_os_getenv(name, buf, &size);
+  ASSERT(r == UV_ENOENT);
+
+  /* Successfully delete an environment variable that does not exist */
+  r = uv_os_unsetenv(name);
+  ASSERT(r == 0);
+
+  return 0;
+}
diff --git a/test/test-list.h b/test/test-list.h
index 35656a76..46da5fda 100644
--- a/test/test-list.h
+++ b/test/test-list.h
@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@ TEST_DECLARE   (shutdown_close_pipe)
 TEST_DECLARE   (shutdown_eof)
 TEST_DECLARE   (shutdown_twice)
 TEST_DECLARE   (callback_stack)
+TEST_DECLARE   (env_vars)
 TEST_DECLARE   (error_message)
 TEST_DECLARE   (sys_error)
 TEST_DECLARE   (timer)
@@ -550,6 +551,8 @@ TASK_LIST_START
   TEST_ENTRY  (callback_stack)
   TEST_HELPER (callback_stack, tcp4_echo_server)
 
+  TEST_ENTRY  (env_vars)
+
   TEST_ENTRY  (error_message)
   TEST_ENTRY  (sys_error)
 
diff --git a/uv.gyp b/uv.gyp
index 9bbadd2e..e25ee25a 100644
--- a/uv.gyp
+++ b/uv.gyp
@@ -344,6 +344,7 @@
         'test/test-error.c',
         'test/test-embed.c',
         'test/test-emfile.c',
+        'test/test-env-vars.c',
         'test/test-fail-always.c',
         'test/test-fs.c',
         'test/test-fs-event.c',