diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/language/node.rb b/Library/Homebrew/language/node.rb
index 86874e385c..02885d62fe 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/language/node.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/language/node.rb
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@ module Language
       # fed to `npm install` only symlinks are created linking back to that
       # directory, consequently breaking that assumption. We require a tarball
       # because npm install creates a "real" installation when fed a tarball.
-      output = Utils.popen_read("npm pack").chomp
+      pack_cmd = "npm pack -ddd"
+      ohai pack_cmd
+      output = `#{pack_cmd}`
       if !$CHILD_STATUS.exitstatus.zero? || output.lines.empty?
         raise "npm failed to pack #{Dir.pwd}"
       end
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/test/language/node_spec.rb b/Library/Homebrew/test/language/node_spec.rb
index 55bb1574e1..b822c2350d 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/test/language/node_spec.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/test/language/node_spec.rb
@@ -24,18 +24,28 @@ describe Language::Node do
 
   describe "#std_npm_install_args" do
     npm_install_arg = "libexec"
+    npm_pack_cmd = "npm pack -ddd"
 
     it "raises error with non zero exitstatus" do
+      allow(Language::Node).to receive(:`).with(npm_pack_cmd).and_return("error msg")
+      allow_any_instance_of(Process::Status).to receive(:exitstatus).and_return(42)
+      allow_any_instance_of(nil::NilClass).to receive(:exitstatus).and_return(42)
+      expect { subject.std_npm_install_args(npm_install_arg) }.to \
+        raise_error("npm failed to pack #{Dir.pwd}")
+    end
+
+    it "raises error with empty npm pack output" do
+      allow(Language::Node).to receive(:`).with(npm_pack_cmd).and_return("")
       expect { subject.std_npm_install_args(npm_install_arg) }.to \
         raise_error("npm failed to pack #{Dir.pwd}")
     end
 
     it "does not raise error with a zero exitstatus" do
-      allow(Utils).to receive(:popen_read).with("npm pack").and_return("pack")
+      allow(Language::Node).to receive(:`).with(npm_pack_cmd).and_return("pack.tgz")
       allow_any_instance_of(Process::Status).to receive(:exitstatus).and_return(0)
       allow_any_instance_of(nil::NilClass).to receive(:exitstatus).and_return(0)
       resp = subject.std_npm_install_args(npm_install_arg)
-      expect(resp).to include("--prefix=#{npm_install_arg}", "#{Dir.pwd}/pack")
+      expect(resp).to include("--prefix=#{npm_install_arg}", "#{Dir.pwd}/pack.tgz")
     end
   end