diff --git a/internal/node/launcher.sh b/internal/node/launcher.sh
index df7ce89f..e6ce6176 100755
--- a/internal/node/launcher.sh
+++ b/internal/node/launcher.sh
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
+# Capture initial env var state, sans some shell vars
+readarray -d '' INIT_ENV_ARGS < <(env -0 -u SHLVL -u _ -u PWD)
+
 # --- begin runfiles.bash initialization v2 ---
 # Copy-pasted from the Bazel Bash runfiles library v2.
 set -uo pipefail; f=build_bazel_rules_nodejs/third_party/github.com/bazelbuild/bazel/tools/bash/runfiles/runfiles.bash
@@ -92,6 +95,9 @@ export RUNFILES
 
 TEMPLATED_env_vars
 
+# Metadata for recreation of node_modules symlinks if required
+export NM_SYMLINKS="$(mktemp -d)/nm-symlinks.json"
+
 # Note: for debugging it is useful to see what files are actually present
 # This redirects to stderr so it doesn't interfere with Bazel's worker protocol
 # find . -name thingImLookingFor 1>&2
@@ -390,14 +396,35 @@ if [[ -n "$NODE_WORKING_DIR" ]]; then
 fi
 set +e
 
+# Prepare NodeJS args plus a cleaned environment
+spawn_args=(
+  --ignore-environment
+  # Expose `NM_SYMLINKS` so persistent workers can recreate side effects if required
+  ${NM_SYMLINKS+"NM_SYMLINKS=${NM_SYMLINKS}"}
+  "${INIT_ENV_ARGS[@]}"
+  # Arguments for child NodeJS processes
+  ${NODE_REPOSITORY_ARGS+"NODE_REPOSITORY_ARGS=${NODE_REPOSITORY_ARGS}"}
+  # For coverage support
+  ${NODE_V8_COVERAGE+"NODE_V8_COVERAGE=${NODE_V8_COVERAGE}"}
+  # For NodeJS patches
+  ${RUNFILES_DIR+"RUNFILES_DIR=${RUNFILES_DIR}"}
+  ${RUNFILES+"RUNFILES=${RUNFILES}"}
+  ${BAZEL_PATCH_ROOTS+"BAZEL_PATCH_ROOTS=${BAZEL_PATCH_ROOTS}"}
+  "${node}"
+  ${LAUNCHER_NODE_OPTIONS[@]+"${LAUNCHER_NODE_OPTIONS[@]}"}
+  ${USER_NODE_OPTIONS[@]+"${USER_NODE_OPTIONS[@]}"}
+  "${MAIN}"
+  ${ARGS[@]+"${ARGS[@]}"}
+)
+
 if [[ -n "${STDOUT_CAPTURE}" ]] && [[ -n "${STDERR_CAPTURE}" ]]; then
-  "${node}" ${LAUNCHER_NODE_OPTIONS[@]+"${LAUNCHER_NODE_OPTIONS[@]}"} ${USER_NODE_OPTIONS[@]+"${USER_NODE_OPTIONS[@]}"} "${MAIN}" ${ARGS[@]+"${ARGS[@]}"} <&0 >$STDOUT_CAPTURE 2>$STDERR_CAPTURE &
+  env "${spawn_args[@]}" <&0 >$STDOUT_CAPTURE 2>$STDERR_CAPTURE &
 elif [[ -n "${STDOUT_CAPTURE}" ]]; then
-  "${node}" ${LAUNCHER_NODE_OPTIONS[@]+"${LAUNCHER_NODE_OPTIONS[@]}"} ${USER_NODE_OPTIONS[@]+"${USER_NODE_OPTIONS[@]}"} "${MAIN}" ${ARGS[@]+"${ARGS[@]}"} <&0 >$STDOUT_CAPTURE &
+  env "${spawn_args[@]}" <&0 >$STDOUT_CAPTURE &
 elif [[ -n "${STDERR_CAPTURE}" ]]; then
-  "${node}" ${LAUNCHER_NODE_OPTIONS[@]+"${LAUNCHER_NODE_OPTIONS[@]}"} ${USER_NODE_OPTIONS[@]+"${USER_NODE_OPTIONS[@]}"} "${MAIN}" ${ARGS[@]+"${ARGS[@]}"} <&0 2>$STDERR_CAPTURE &
+  env "${spawn_args[@]}" <&0 2>$STDERR_CAPTURE &
 else
-  "${node}" ${LAUNCHER_NODE_OPTIONS[@]+"${LAUNCHER_NODE_OPTIONS[@]}"} ${USER_NODE_OPTIONS[@]+"${USER_NODE_OPTIONS[@]}"} "${MAIN}" ${ARGS[@]+"${ARGS[@]}"} <&0 &
+  env "${spawn_args[@]}" <&0 &
 fi
 
 readonly child=$!
diff --git a/internal/node/node.bzl b/internal/node/node.bzl
index 46f28400..e6b7389e 100755
--- a/internal/node/node.bzl
+++ b/internal/node/node.bzl
@@ -191,10 +191,7 @@ def _nodejs_binary_impl(ctx):
 
     _write_loader_script(ctx)
 
-    # Provide the target name as an environment variable avaiable to all actions for the
-    # runfiles helpers to use.
-    env_vars = "export BAZEL_TARGET=%s\n" % ctx.label
-    env_vars += """export NM_SYMLINKS="$(mktemp -d)/nm-symlinks.json"\n"""
+    env_vars = ""
 
     # Add all env vars from the ctx attr
     for [key, value] in ctx.attr.env.items():
diff --git a/internal/pkg_npm/pkg_npm.bzl b/internal/pkg_npm/pkg_npm.bzl
index 56c758a4..ea8ca6cd 100755
--- a/internal/pkg_npm/pkg_npm.bzl
+++ b/internal/pkg_npm/pkg_npm.bzl
@@ -258,6 +258,9 @@ def create_package(ctx, deps_files, nested_packages):
         inputs = inputs,
         outputs = [package_dir],
         arguments = [args],
+        # Without this, `PATH` is unset and OS specified defaults are used.
+        # e.g. Bash 3.2 on macoS Sonoma (via `/bin:/usr/bin`)
+        use_default_shell_env = True,
     )
 
     _create_npm_scripts(ctx)
@@ -290,6 +293,9 @@ def _create_npm_scripts(ctx):
             "no-remote-exec": "",
             "no-sandbox": "",
         },
+        # Without this, `PATH` is unset and OS specified defaults are used.
+        # e.g. Bash 3.2 on macoS Sonoma (via `/bin:/usr/bin`)
+        use_default_shell_env = True,
     )
 
 def _pkg_npm(ctx):