diff --git a/.changeset/gentle-avocados-obey.md b/.changeset/gentle-avocados-obey.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..80bf5f89c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/gentle-avocados-obey.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/cli': patch
+---
+
+Only bootstrap global-agent if it's actually being used
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 39c5d021c1..59150dedc9 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@
   "dependencies": {
     "@backstage/errors": "workspace:^",
     "@manypkg/get-packages": "^1.1.3",
+    "@types/global-agent": "^2.1.3",
     "@useoptic/optic": "^0.50.10"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/versions/bump.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/versions/bump.ts
index 1544240704..d6d5f424ba 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/versions/bump.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/versions/bump.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,12 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
+import { bootstrap } from 'global-agent';
+
+if (shouldUseGlobalAgent()) {
+  bootstrap();
+}
+
 import fs from 'fs-extra';
 import chalk from 'chalk';
 import ora from 'ora';
@@ -38,10 +44,22 @@ import {
   getManifestByVersion,
   ReleaseManifest,
 } from '@backstage/release-manifests';
-import 'global-agent/bootstrap';
 import { PackageGraph } from '@backstage/cli-node';
 import { migrateMovedPackages } from './migrate';
 
+function shouldUseGlobalAgent(): boolean {
+  // see https://www.npmjs.com/package/global-agent
+  const namespace =
+    process.env.GLOBAL_AGENT_ENVIRONMENT_VARIABLE_NAMESPACE ?? 'GLOBAL_AGENT_';
+  if (
+    process.env[`${namespace}HTTP_PROXY`] ||
+    process.env[`${namespace}HTTPS_PROXY`]
+  ) {
+    return true;
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
 const DEP_TYPES = [
   'dependencies',
   'devDependencies',
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index a0a385ca66..dd05b8d157 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -17173,6 +17173,13 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"@types/global-agent@npm:^2.1.3":
+  version: 2.1.3
+  resolution: "@types/global-agent@npm:2.1.3"
+  checksum: 6129b6d5ba871b9d111ddf91e6f9a1725d3f28bf2aa6869ec83bebd14c688cde4275ebea6fa45b0b1c00d78109d022c935f952e9e4876d76289d4706484776c3
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "@types/google-protobuf@npm:^3.7.2":
   version: 3.15.12
   resolution: "@types/google-protobuf@npm:3.15.12"
@@ -39395,6 +39402,7 @@ __metadata:
     "@spotify/eslint-plugin": ^15.0.0
     "@spotify/prettier-config": ^15.0.0
     "@techdocs/cli": "workspace:*"
+    "@types/global-agent": ^2.1.3
     "@types/node": ^18.17.8
     "@types/webpack": ^5.28.0
     "@useoptic/optic": ^0.50.10