diff --git a/package/nodejs/nodejs.mk b/package/nodejs/nodejs.mk
index 156b151bee..414f3f3d49 100644
--- a/package/nodejs/nodejs.mk
+++ b/package/nodejs/nodejs.mk
@@ -95,6 +95,15 @@ NODEJS_MODULES_LIST= $(call qstrip,\
 	$(if $(BR2_PACKAGE_NODEJS_MODULES_COFFEESCRIPT),coffee-script) \
 	$(BR2_PACKAGE_NODEJS_MODULES_ADDITIONAL))
 
+# Define NPM for other packages to use
+NPM = $(TARGET_CONFIGURE_OPTS) \
+	LD="$(TARGET_CXX)" \
+	npm_config_arch=$(NODEJS_CPU) \
+	npm_config_target_arch=$(NODEJS_CPU) \
+	npm_config_build_from_source=true \
+	npm_config_nodedir=$(BUILD_DIR)/nodejs-$(NODEJS_VERSION) \
+	$(HOST_DIR)/usr/bin/npm
+
 #
 # We can only call NPM if there's something to install.
 #
@@ -104,14 +113,7 @@ define NODEJS_INSTALL_MODULES
 	# npm install call below and setting npm_config_rollback=false can both
 	# help in diagnosing the problem.
 	(cd $(TARGET_DIR)/usr/lib && mkdir -p node_modules && \
-		$(TARGET_CONFIGURE_OPTS) \
-		LD="$(TARGET_CXX)" \
-		npm_config_arch=$(NODEJS_CPU) \
-		npm_config_target_arch=$(NODEJS_CPU) \
-		npm_config_build_from_source=true \
-		npm_config_nodedir=$(BUILD_DIR)/nodejs-$(NODEJS_VERSION) \
-		$(HOST_DIR)/usr/bin/npm install \
-		$(NODEJS_MODULES_LIST) \
+		$(NPM) install $(NODEJS_MODULES_LIST) \
 	)
 
 	# Symlink all executables in $(TARGET_DIR)/usr/lib/node_modules/.bin to