diff --git a/docker-bake.hcl b/docker-bake.hcl
index f97df6084a..3d89643559 100644
--- a/docker-bake.hcl
+++ b/docker-bake.hcl
@@ -16,6 +16,11 @@ variable "CACHE_WEEK" {
   default = ""
 }
 
+
+variable "BUILDPACK_DEBUG" {
+  default = ""
+}
+
 group "default" {
   targets = ["build-docker"]
 }
@@ -37,6 +42,7 @@ target "settings" {
   context = "."
   args = {
     APT_HTTP_PROXY = "${APT_HTTP_PROXY}"
+    BUILDPACK_DEBUG = "${BUILDPACK_DEBUG}"
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/usr/local/buildpack/tools/node.sh b/src/usr/local/buildpack/tools/node.sh
index fe05aeace2..773020f0a9 100644
--- a/src/usr/local/buildpack/tools/node.sh
+++ b/src/usr/local/buildpack/tools/node.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 set -e
 
-require_root
 check_semver $TOOL_VERSION
 
 if [[ ! "${MAJOR}" || ! "${MINOR}" ]]; then
@@ -11,18 +10,26 @@ if [[ ! "${MAJOR}" || ! "${MINOR}" ]]; then
 fi
 
 NODE_DISTRO=linux-x64
-NODE_INSTALL_DIR=/usr/local/node/${TOOL_VERSION}
+tool_path=$(find_tool_path)
+INSTALL_DIR=$(get_install_dir)
+PREFIX="${USER_HOME}/.npm-global"
 
-if [[ -d "${NODE_INSTALL_DIR}" ]]; then
-  echo "Skipping, already installed"
-  exit 0
-fi
 
 function update_env () {
-  PATH="${1}/bin:${PATH}"
-  link_wrapper ${TOOL_NAME}
-  link_wrapper npm
-  link_wrapper npx
+  reset_tool_env
+
+  link_wrapper ${TOOL_NAME} $tool_path/bin
+  link_wrapper npm $tool_path/bin
+  link_wrapper npx $tool_path/bin
+
+  export_tool_path "${PREFIX}/bin"
+
+  cat >> $(find_tool_env) <<- EOM
+# openshift override unknown user home
+if [ "\${EUID}" != 0 ] && [ "\${EUID}" != ${USER_ID} ]; then
+  export NPM_CONFIG_PREFIX="${PREFIX}"
+fi
+EOM
 }
 
 function prepare_prefix () {
@@ -34,51 +41,63 @@ function prepare_prefix () {
 function prepare_global_config () {
   local prefix=${1}
   prepare_prefix ${prefix}
-  npm config set prefix ${prefix} --global
+  mkdir -p ${tool_path}/etc
+  echo "prefix = \"${prefix}\"" >> ${tool_path}/etc/npmrc
 }
 
 function prepare_user_config () {
   local prefix=${1}
-  prepare_prefix ${prefix}
-  export_path "${prefix}/bin"
-  chown -R ${USER_ID} ${prefix}
-  chmod -R g+w ${prefix}
+  if [[ -r "${USER_HOME}/.npmrc" && $(cat ${USER_HOME}/.npmrc | grep 'prefix') ]]; then
+    return
+  fi
 
-  su $USER_NAME -c "npm config set prefix ${prefix}"
-  cat >> $ENV_FILE <<- EOM
-# openshift override unknown user home
-if [ "\${EUID}" != 0 ] && [ "\${EUID}" != ${USER_ID} ]; then
-  export NPM_CONFIG_PREFIX="${prefix}"
-fi
-EOM
+  prepare_prefix ${prefix}
+  echo "prefix = \"${prefix}\"" >> ${USER_HOME}/.npmrc
+  chown -R ${USER_ID} ${prefix} ${USER_HOME}/.npmrc
+  chmod -R g+w ${prefix} ${USER_HOME}/.npmrc
 }
 
-mkdir -p $NODE_INSTALL_DIR
+if [[ -z "${tool_path}" ]]; then
+  base_path=${INSTALL_DIR}/${TOOL_NAME}
+  tool_path=${base_path}/${TOOL_VERSION}
+  npm=${tool_path}/bin/npm
 
-curl -sLo node.tar.xz https://nodejs.org/dist/v${TOOL_VERSION}/node-v${TOOL_VERSION}-${NODE_DISTRO}.tar.xz
-tar -C ${NODE_INSTALL_DIR} --strip 1 -xf node.tar.xz
-rm node.tar.xz
+  mkdir -p $tool_path
 
-update_env ${NODE_INSTALL_DIR}
+  file=/tmp/${TOOL_NAME}.tar.xz
 
-if [[ ${MAJOR} < 15 ]]; then
-  # update to latest node-gyp to fully support python3
-  ${NODE_INSTALL_DIR}/bin/npm explore npm -g -- npm install --cache /tmp/empty-cache node-gyp@latest
-  rm -rf /tmp/empty-cache
-fi
+  curl -sLo ${file} https://nodejs.org/dist/v${TOOL_VERSION}/node-v${TOOL_VERSION}-${NODE_DISTRO}.tar.xz
+  tar -C ${tool_path} --strip 1 -xf ${file}
+  rm ${file}
 
+  if [[ $EUID -eq 0 ]]; then
+    # redirect root install
+    prepare_global_config /usr/local
 
-# redirect root install
-prepare_global_config /usr/local
+    # redirect user install
+    prepare_user_config ${PREFIX}
+  else
+    # redirect user install
+    prepare_global_config ${PREFIX}
+  fi
 
-# redirect user install
-prepare_user_config "${USER_HOME}/.npm-global"
+  # required for npm
+  link_wrapper ${TOOL_NAME} $tool_path/bin
 
-echo node: $(node --version) $(command -v node)
-echo npm: $(npm --version)  $(command -v npm)
+  if [[ ${MAJOR} < 15 ]]; then
+    # update to latest node-gyp to fully support python3
+    NPM_CONFIG_PREFIX=$tool_path $npm explore npm -g -- $npm install --cache /tmp/empty-cache node-gyp@latest
+    rm -rf /tmp/empty-cache
+  fi
 
-# Clean download cache
-npm cache clean --force
+  # Clean download cache
+  NPM_CONFIG_PREFIX=$tool_path $npm cache clean --force
 
-# Clean node-gyp cache
-rm -rf /root/.cache
+  # Clean node-gyp cache
+  rm -rf $HOME/.cache
+fi
+
+update_env ${tool_path}
+
+echo node: $(node --version) $(command -v node)
+echo npm: $(npm --version)  $(command -v npm)
diff --git a/src/usr/local/buildpack/util.sh b/src/usr/local/buildpack/util.sh
index 0dbeccaf3c..f9d1f46cc4 100644
--- a/src/usr/local/buildpack/util.sh
+++ b/src/usr/local/buildpack/util.sh
@@ -43,6 +43,15 @@ function reset_tool_env () {
   fi
 }
 
+function find_tool_env () {
+  local install_dir=$(get_install_dir)
+  if [[ -z "${TOOL_NAME+x}" ]]; then
+    echo "No TOOL_NAME defined - skipping: ${TOOL_NAME}" >&2
+    exit 1;
+  fi
+
+  echo "$install_dir/env.d/${TOOL_NAME}.sh"
+}
 
 function export_tool_env () {
   local install_dir=$(get_install_dir)
@@ -92,8 +101,14 @@ EOM
 function link_wrapper () {
   local install_dir=$(get_install_dir)
   local TARGET="${install_dir}/bin/${1}"
-  local SOURCE=$(command -v ${1})
-  check_command $1
+  local SOURCE=$2
+  if [[ -z "$SOURCE" ]]; then
+    SOURCE=$(command -v ${1})
+  fi
+  if [[ -d "$SOURCE" ]]; then
+    SOURCE=$SOURCE/${1}
+  fi
+  check_command $SOURCE
   ln -sf $SOURCE $TARGET
 }
 
diff --git a/test/node/Dockerfile b/test/node/Dockerfile
index 9b2f1cf7f4..f2c38fc68d 100644
--- a/test/node/Dockerfile
+++ b/test/node/Dockerfile
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 ARG IMAGE=containerbase/buildpack
+ARG BUILDPACK_DEBUG
+
 FROM ${IMAGE} as build
 
 ARG APT_HTTP_PROXY
+ARG BUILDPACK_DEBUG
 
 # renovate: datasource=node
 RUN install-tool node v16.13.1
@@ -107,15 +110,17 @@ FROM ${IMAGE} as testd
 
 ARG APT_HTTP_PROXY
 
+RUN touch /.dummy
+
+USER 1000
+
 # renovate: datasource=node
 RUN install-tool node v17.0.1
 
-RUN touch /.dummy
 
 # renovate: datasource=npm
 RUN install-tool yarn 1.22.17
 
-USER 1000
 
 COPY --chown=1000:0 test test
 
@@ -123,7 +128,6 @@ RUN set -ex; \
   npm --version; \
   command -v npm;
 
-
 RUN set -ex; cd test/a; npm i
 
 RUN npm install -g yarn
@@ -216,9 +220,14 @@ RUN set -ex; cd a; yarn-slim install
 #--------------------------------------
 FROM ${IMAGE} as testi
 
+ARG BUILDPACK_DEBUG
+
 # don't update!!
+RUN install-tool node v14.18.1
 RUN install-tool node v14.18.2
 
+RUN cat $USER_HOME/.npmrc | grep "prefix = \"$USER_HOME/.npm-global\""
+
 RUN touch /.dummy
 
 USER 1000