diff --git a/main.sh b/main.sh
index 2d7c2bd..1e48dbb 100644
--- a/main.sh
+++ b/main.sh
@@ -44,6 +44,10 @@ sudo apt-get install -y zsh
 sudo chsh $INSTALL_USER -s /bin/zsh
 cp ./utils/dotzshrc "$HOME/.zshrc"
 
+# zsh nvm lazy loading (so shell doesn't take a million years to start)
+git clone https://github.com/lukechilds/zsh-nvm.git "$HOME/.nvm-zsh"
+# other install stuff already in .zshrc
+
 # starship (shell prompt)
 curl -sS https://starship.rs/install.sh | sudo sh -s -- -y
 # echo 'eval "$(starship init zsh)"' | tee "$HOME/.zshrc" -a # should already be in zshrc
diff --git a/utils/dotzshrc b/utils/dotzshrc
index 497e4c8..d42a2af 100644
--- a/utils/dotzshrc
+++ b/utils/dotzshrc
@@ -22,5 +22,8 @@ alias rmd="rndrmarkdown"
 # colored GCC warnings and errors
 export GCC_COLORS='error=01;31:warning=01;35:note=01;36:caret=01;32:locus=01:quote=01'
 
+export NVM_LAZY_LOAD=true
+source "$HOME/.nvm-zsh/zsh-nvm.plugin.zsh"
+
 eval "$(starship init zsh)"