diff --git a/bindings/matrix-sdk-crypto-nodejs/download-lib.js b/bindings/matrix-sdk-crypto-nodejs/download-lib.js
index d0aec7d7880..6e360db133c 100644
--- a/bindings/matrix-sdk-crypto-nodejs/download-lib.js
+++ b/bindings/matrix-sdk-crypto-nodejs/download-lib.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-const { Agent } = require('https');
+const { HttpsProxyAgent } = require('https-proxy-agent');
 const { DownloaderHelper } = require('node-downloader-helper');
 const { version } = require("./package.json");
 const { platform, arch } = process
@@ -23,13 +23,16 @@ function download_lib(libname) {
     console.info(`Downloading lib ${libname} from ${url}`);
     const dl = new DownloaderHelper(url, __dirname, {
         override: true,
-        httpsRequestOptions: {
-          // Disable keepalive to prevent the process hanging open.
-          // https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-rust-sdk/issues/1160
-          agent: new Agent({ keepAlive: false }),
-        },
     });
 
+    const proxy = process.env.https_proxy ?? process.env.HTTPS_PROXY;
+    if (proxy) {
+        const proxyAgent = new HttpsProxyAgent(proxy);
+        dl.updateOptions({
+            httpsRequestOptions: { agent: proxyAgent },
+        });
+    }
+
     dl.on('end', () => console.info('Download Completed'));
     dl.on('error', (err) => console.info('Download Failed', err));
     dl.on('progress', stats => {
diff --git a/bindings/matrix-sdk-crypto-nodejs/package.json b/bindings/matrix-sdk-crypto-nodejs/package.json
index c4c1e875a23..d858158e25c 100644
--- a/bindings/matrix-sdk-crypto-nodejs/package.json
+++ b/bindings/matrix-sdk-crypto-nodejs/package.json
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
         "doc": "typedoc --tsconfig ."
     },
     "dependencies": {
-        "node-downloader-helper": "^2.1.1"
+        "https-proxy-agent": "^5.0.1",
+        "node-downloader-helper": "^2.1.5"
     }
 }