diff --git a/docs/lib/content/using-npm/scripts.md b/docs/lib/content/using-npm/scripts.md
index 1613d803ee3e9..b18613a6a5db0 100644
--- a/docs/lib/content/using-npm/scripts.md
+++ b/docs/lib/content/using-npm/scripts.md
@@ -39,6 +39,12 @@ These scripts happen in addition to the `pre<event>`, `post<event>`, and
 
 * `prepare`, `prepublish`, `prepublishOnly`, `prepack`, `postpack`, `dependencies`
 
+**preunpack**
+* Runs BEFORE dependencies are installed, ONLY on local `npm install` (without arguments) and `npm ci`.
+* Provides a hook for setup tasks that must happen before any packages are fetched, such as authenticating to private registries or validating environment prerequisites.
+* Does NOT run when installing specific packages (e.g., `npm install express`), during global installs, or when `--ignore-scripts` is set.
+* If the script exits with a non-zero code, the installation is aborted.
+
 **prepare** (since `npm@4.0.0`)
 * Runs BEFORE the package is packed, i.e.
 during `npm publish` and `npm pack`
@@ -111,6 +117,7 @@ It is run AFTER the changes have been applied and the `package.json` and `packag
 
 #### [`npm ci`](/commands/npm-ci)
 
+* `preunpack`
 * `preinstall`
 * `install`
 * `postinstall`
@@ -119,7 +126,8 @@ It is run AFTER the changes have been applied and the `package.json` and `packag
 * `prepare`
 * `postprepare`
 
-These all run after the actual installation of modules into
+`preunpack` runs before the actual installation of modules.
+All other scripts run after the actual installation of modules into
  `node_modules`, in order, with no internal actions happening in between
 
 #### [`npm diff`](/commands/npm-diff)
@@ -130,6 +138,7 @@ These all run after the actual installation of modules into
 
 These also run when you run `npm install -g <pkg-name>`
 
+* `preunpack`
 * `preinstall`
 * `install`
 * `postinstall`
diff --git a/lib/commands/ci.js b/lib/commands/ci.js
index 7480e645a4e0d..f36c5387af517 100644
--- a/lib/commands/ci.js
+++ b/lib/commands/ci.js
@@ -98,9 +98,26 @@ class CI extends ArboristWorkspaceCmd {
       })
     }
 
+    // Run 'preunpack' lifecycle script before installation.
+    // This provides a hook to run setup tasks (e.g., private registry auth,
+    // environment validation) before dependencies are fetched and installed.
+    // See: https://github.com/npm/cli/issues/2660
+    // See: https://github.com/npm/rfcs/pull/403
+    const ignoreScripts = this.npm.config.get('ignore-scripts')
+    if (!ignoreScripts) {
+      const scriptShell = this.npm.config.get('script-shell') || undefined
+      await runScript({
+        path: where,
+        args: [],
+        scriptShell,
+        stdio: 'inherit',
+        banner: !this.npm.silent,
+        event: 'preunpack',
+      })
+    }
+
     await arb.reify(opts)
 
-    const ignoreScripts = this.npm.config.get('ignore-scripts')
     // run the same set of scripts that `npm install` runs.
     if (!ignoreScripts) {
       const scripts = [
diff --git a/lib/commands/install.js b/lib/commands/install.js
index 707848a43d48f..99eb31595f918 100644
--- a/lib/commands/install.js
+++ b/lib/commands/install.js
@@ -139,6 +139,22 @@ class Install extends ArboristWorkspaceCmd {
       throw this.usageError()
     }
 
+    // Run 'preunpack' lifecycle script before any installation.
+    // This provides a hook to run setup tasks (e.g., private registry auth,
+    // environment validation) before dependencies are fetched and installed.
+    // See: https://github.com/npm/cli/issues/2660
+    // See: https://github.com/npm/rfcs/pull/403
+    if (!args.length && !isGlobalInstall && !ignoreScripts) {
+      await runScript({
+        path: where,
+        args: [],
+        scriptShell,
+        stdio: 'inherit',
+        banner: !this.npm.silent,
+        event: 'preunpack',
+      })
+    }
+
     const Arborist = require('@npmcli/arborist')
     const opts = {
       ...this.npm.flatOptions,
diff --git a/lib/commands/run.js b/lib/commands/run.js
index d89cb4d93bb7f..1fb2452b0da22 100644
--- a/lib/commands/run.js
+++ b/lib/commands/run.js
@@ -174,6 +174,7 @@ class RunScript extends BaseCommand {
       'prepare', 'prepublishOnly',
       'prepack', 'postpack',
       'dependencies',
+      'preunpack',
       'preinstall', 'install', 'postinstall',
       'prepublish', 'publish', 'postpublish',
       'prerestart', 'restart', 'postrestart',
diff --git a/test/lib/commands/ci.js b/test/lib/commands/ci.js
index 8dc0f1d3cc149..11a7ce42a0906 100644
--- a/test/lib/commands/ci.js
+++ b/test/lib/commands/ci.js
@@ -172,6 +172,7 @@ t.test('lifecycle scripts', async t => {
   registry.nock.post('/-/npm/v1/security/advisories/bulk').reply(200, {})
   await npm.exec('ci', [])
   t.same(scripts, [
+    'preunpack',
     'preinstall',
     'install',
     'postinstall',
@@ -308,3 +309,83 @@ t.test('should use --workspace flag', async t => {
   assert.packageMissing('node_modules/abbrev@1.1.0')
   assert.packageInstalled('node_modules/lodash@1.1.1')
 })
+
+t.test('preunpack lifecycle script tests for ci', async t => {
+  await t.test('preunpack runs before arborist reify', async t => {
+    const events = []
+    let reifyCalled = false
+
+    const { npm } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
+      prefixDir: {
+        'package.json': JSON.stringify({
+          ...packageJson,
+          scripts: {
+            preunpack: 'echo preunpack',
+          },
+        }),
+        'package-lock.json': JSON.stringify(packageLock),
+      },
+      mocks: {
+        '{LIB}/utils/reify-finish.js': async () => {},
+        '@npmcli/run-script': (opts) => {
+          if (opts.event === 'preunpack') {
+            events.push('preunpack')
+            t.notOk(reifyCalled, 'preunpack should run before arborist.reify is called')
+          }
+        },
+        '@npmcli/arborist': function () {
+          this.virtualTree = { inventory: new Map() }
+          this.actualTree = { inventory: new Map() }
+          this.idealTree = { inventory: new Map() }
+
+          this.loadActual = async () => this.actualTree
+          this.loadVirtual = async () => this.virtualTree
+          this.buildIdealTree = async () => this.idealTree
+          this.reify = async () => {
+            reifyCalled = true
+            events.push('reify')
+            t.ok(events.includes('preunpack'), 'preunpack should have run before reify')
+            return {}
+          }
+        },
+      },
+    })
+
+    await npm.exec('ci', [])
+    t.same(events, ['preunpack', 'reify'], 'preunpack runs before reify in ci')
+    t.ok(reifyCalled, 'arborist reify should have been called')
+  })
+
+  await t.test('preunpack does not run with --ignore-scripts', async t => {
+    const scripts = []
+    const { npm, registry } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
+      config: {
+        'ignore-scripts': true,
+      },
+      prefixDir: {
+        'package.json': JSON.stringify({
+          ...packageJson,
+          scripts: {
+            preunpack: 'echo preunpack',
+            preinstall: 'echo preinstall',
+          },
+        }),
+        'package-lock.json': JSON.stringify(packageLock),
+        abbrev,
+      },
+      mocks: {
+        '@npmcli/run-script': (opts) => {
+          scripts.push(opts.event)
+        },
+      },
+    })
+    const manifest = registry.manifest({ name: 'abbrev' })
+    await registry.tarball({
+      manifest: manifest.versions['1.0.0'],
+      tarball: path.join(npm.prefix, 'abbrev'),
+    })
+    registry.nock.post('/-/npm/v1/security/advisories/bulk').reply(200, {})
+    await npm.exec('ci', [])
+    t.same(scripts, [], 'no scripts should run with --ignore-scripts')
+  })
+})
diff --git a/test/lib/commands/install.js b/test/lib/commands/install.js
index d886ed787166c..5af68dd583260 100644
--- a/test/lib/commands/install.js
+++ b/test/lib/commands/install.js
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ t.test('exec commands', async t => {
 
   await t.test('without args runs lifecycle scripts', async t => {
     const lifecycleScripts = [
+      'preunpack',
       'preinstall',
       'install',
       'postinstall',
@@ -770,3 +771,115 @@ t.test('devEngines', async t => {
     t.ok(!output.includes('EBADDEVENGINES'))
   })
 })
+
+t.test('preunpack lifecycle script', async t => {
+  await t.test('preunpack runs before arborist reify', async t => {
+    const events = []
+    let reifyCalled = false
+
+    const { npm } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
+      config: { audit: false },
+      prefixDir: {
+        'package.json': JSON.stringify({
+          ...packageJson,
+          scripts: {
+            preunpack: 'echo preunpack',
+          },
+        }),
+      },
+      mocks: {
+        '{LIB}/utils/reify-finish.js': async () => {},
+        '@npmcli/run-script': (opts) => {
+          if (opts.event === 'preunpack') {
+            events.push('preunpack')
+            t.notOk(reifyCalled, 'preunpack should run before arborist.reify is called')
+          }
+        },
+        '@npmcli/arborist': function () {
+          this.loadActual = async () => ({})
+          this.loadVirtual = async () => ({})
+          this.buildIdealTree = async () => ({})
+          this.reify = async () => {
+            reifyCalled = true
+            events.push('reify')
+            t.ok(events.includes('preunpack'), 'preunpack should have run before reify')
+            return {}
+          }
+        },
+      },
+    })
+
+    await npm.exec('install')
+    t.same(events, ['preunpack', 'reify'], 'preunpack runs before reify')
+    t.ok(reifyCalled, 'arborist reify should have been called')
+  })
+
+  await t.test('preunpack does not run when installing specific packages', async t => {
+    const scripts = []
+
+    const { npm, registry } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
+      config: { audit: false },
+      prefixDir: {
+        'package.json': JSON.stringify({
+          ...packageJson,
+          scripts: {
+            preunpack: 'echo preunpack',
+            preinstall: 'echo preinstall',
+          },
+        }),
+        abbrev,
+      },
+      mocks: {
+        '@npmcli/run-script': (opts) => {
+          scripts.push(opts.event)
+        },
+      },
+    })
+
+    const manifest = registry.manifest({ name: 'abbrev' })
+    await registry.package({ manifest })
+    await registry.tarball({
+      manifest: manifest.versions['1.0.0'],
+      tarball: path.join(npm.prefix, 'abbrev'),
+    })
+
+    await npm.exec('install', ['abbrev'])
+    t.same(scripts, [], 'no project lifecycle scripts should run when installing specific packages')
+  })
+
+  await t.test('preunpack does not run with --ignore-scripts', async t => {
+    const scripts = []
+
+    const { npm, registry } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
+      config: {
+        'ignore-scripts': true,
+        audit: false,
+      },
+      prefixDir: {
+        'package.json': JSON.stringify({
+          ...packageJson,
+          scripts: {
+            preunpack: 'echo preunpack',
+            preinstall: 'echo preinstall',
+          },
+        }),
+        abbrev,
+      },
+      mocks: {
+        '@npmcli/run-script': (opts) => {
+          scripts.push(opts.event)
+        },
+      },
+    })
+
+    const manifest = registry.manifest({ name: 'abbrev' })
+    await registry.package({ manifest })
+    await registry.tarball({
+      manifest: manifest.versions['1.0.0'],
+      tarball: path.join(npm.prefix, 'abbrev'),
+    })
+
+    await npm.exec('install')
+    t.same(scripts, [], 'no lifecycle scripts should run with --ignore-scripts')
+  })
+})