diff --git a/cmd/helm/repo_add.go b/cmd/helm/repo_add.go
index 3d36fd0ed..9c67641e5 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/repo_add.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/repo_add.go
@@ -130,6 +130,9 @@ func (o *repoAddOptions) run(out io.Writer) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	if o.repoCache != "" {
+		r.CachePath = o.repoCache
+	}
 	if _, err := r.DownloadIndexFile(); err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrapf(err, "looks like %q is not a valid chart repository or cannot be reached", o.url)
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/helm/repo_update.go b/cmd/helm/repo_update.go
index 027f18518..5c1086e81 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/repo_update.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/repo_update.go
@@ -37,8 +37,9 @@ Information is cached locally, where it is used by commands like 'helm search'.
 var errNoRepositories = errors.New("no repositories found. You must add one before updating")
 
 type repoUpdateOptions struct {
-	update   func([]*repo.ChartRepository, io.Writer)
-	repoFile string
+	update    func([]*repo.ChartRepository, io.Writer)
+	repoFile  string
+	repoCache string
 }
 
 func newRepoUpdateCmd(out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
@@ -52,6 +53,7 @@ func newRepoUpdateCmd(out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 		Args:    require.NoArgs,
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			o.repoFile = settings.RepositoryConfig
+			o.repoCache = settings.RepositoryCache
 			return o.run(out)
 		},
 	}
@@ -69,6 +71,9 @@ func (o *repoUpdateOptions) run(out io.Writer) error {
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
+		if o.repoCache != "" {
+			r.CachePath = o.repoCache
+		}
 		repos = append(repos, r)
 	}
 
diff --git a/cmd/helm/repo_update_test.go b/cmd/helm/repo_update_test.go
index 6ddce0637..981f0bba3 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/repo_update_test.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/repo_update_test.go
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
@@ -50,6 +52,25 @@ func TestUpdateCmd(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestUpdateCustomCacheCmd(t *testing.T) {
+	var out bytes.Buffer
+	rootDir := ensure.TempDir(t)
+	cachePath := filepath.Join(rootDir, "updcustomcache")
+	_ = os.Mkdir(cachePath, os.ModePerm)
+	defer os.RemoveAll(cachePath)
+	o := &repoUpdateOptions{
+		update:    updateCharts,
+		repoFile:  "testdata/repositories.yaml",
+		repoCache: cachePath,
+	}
+	if err := o.run(&out); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if _, err := os.Stat(filepath.Join(cachePath, "charts-index.yaml")); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("error finding created index file in custom cache: %#v", err)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestUpdateCharts(t *testing.T) {
 	defer resetEnv()()
 	defer ensure.HelmHome(t)()