diff --git a/bin/npx-cli.js b/bin/npx-cli.js
index e2e1b87906abe..296bf3edb17fa 100755
--- a/bin/npx-cli.js
+++ b/bin/npx-cli.js
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ const removed = new Set([
   ...removedOpts,
 ])
 
+const nopt = require('nopt')
 const { definitions, shorthands } = require('@npmcli/config/lib/definitions')
 const npmSwitches = Object.entries(definitions)
   .filter(([, { type }]) => type === Boolean ||
@@ -43,6 +44,17 @@ const switches = new Set([
   'h',
 ])
 
+// a negated switch (--no-color, or --no expanded to --no-yes) only takes the
+// next argument when npm reads it as the value, as in --no-color always
+const readsNegatedValue = (negation, next) => {
+  if (next === undefined) {
+    return false
+  }
+  const key = negation.slice(3)
+  const { argv } = nopt({ [key]: definitions[key].type }, {}, [`--${negation}`, next], 0)
+  return argv.remain.length === 0
+}
+
 // things that do take a value
 const opts = new Set([
   ...removedOpts,
@@ -105,8 +117,11 @@ for (i = 3; i < process.argv.length; i++) {
       i--
     }
 
+    const negated = key.startsWith('no-') && npmSwitches.includes(key.slice(3))
+
     if (v.length === 0 && !switches.has(key) &&
-        (opts.has(key) || !/^-/.test(process.argv[i + 1]))) {
+        (opts.has(key) || !/^-/.test(process.argv[i + 1])) &&
+        (!negated || readsNegatedValue(key, process.argv[i + 1]))) {
       // value will be next argument, skip over it.
       if (removed.has(key)) {
         // also remove the value for the cut key.
diff --git a/test/bin/npx-cli.js b/test/bin/npx-cli.js
index 67a8d3319fc18..4fa3440dbd4d0 100644
--- a/test/bin/npx-cli.js
+++ b/test/bin/npx-cli.js
@@ -38,6 +38,53 @@ t.test('npx --x=y --no-install foo -z -> npm exec --x=y -- foo -z', async t => {
   t.strictSame(argv, ['node', npm, 'exec', '--x=y', '--yes=false', '--', 'foo', '-z'])
 })
 
+t.test('npx --no foo -z -> npm exec --no-yes -- foo -z', async t => {
+  const { argv } = mockNpx(t, ['node', npx, '--no', 'foo', '-z'])
+  t.strictSame(argv, ['node', npm, 'exec', '--no-yes', '--', 'foo', '-z'])
+})
+
+t.test('negated switches do not take the command as a value', async t => {
+  const { argv } = mockNpx(t, ['node', npx, '--no-color', '--local', 'foo', '--version'])
+  t.strictSame(argv, ['node', npm, 'exec', '--no-color', '--no-global', '--', 'foo', '--version'])
+})
+
+t.test('negated switches keep values that npm reads for them', async t => {
+  const { argv } = mockNpx(t, [
+    'node',
+    npx,
+    '--no=false',
+    '--no-color',
+    'always',
+    '--no-workspaces',
+    'null',
+    '--no-browser',
+    'firefox',
+    'foo',
+    '-z',
+  ])
+  t.strictSame(argv, [
+    'node',
+    npm,
+    'exec',
+    '--no-yes',
+    'false',
+    '--no-color',
+    'always',
+    '--no-workspaces',
+    'null',
+    '--no-browser',
+    'firefox',
+    '--',
+    'foo',
+    '-z',
+  ])
+})
+
+t.test('npx --no -> npm exec --no-yes', async t => {
+  const { argv } = mockNpx(t, ['node', npx, '--no'])
+  t.strictSame(argv, ['node', npm, 'exec', '--no-yes'])
+})
+
 t.test('transform renamed options into proper values', async t => {
   const { argv } = mockNpx(t, ['node', npx, '-y', '--shell=bash', '-p', 'foo', '-c', 'asdf'])
   t.strictSame(argv, [