diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 67dcfb4d1d69a..8914fa041cc28 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -66,12 +66,12 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
         node-version:
-          - 12.13.0
-          - 12.x
-          - 14.15.0
+          - 14.17.0
           - 14.x
-          - 16.0.0
+          - 16.13.0
           - 16.x
+          - 18.0.0
+          - 18.x
         platform:
           - os: ubuntu-latest
             shell: bash
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 4f1ea45e1f478..5035e26519272 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -27,12 +27,12 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
         node-version:
-          - 12.13.0
-          - 12.x
-          - 14.15.0
+          - 14.17.0
           - 14.x
-          - 16.0.0
+          - 16.13.0
           - 16.x
+          - 18.0.0
+          - 18.x
         platform:
           - os: ubuntu-latest
             shell: bash
@@ -77,12 +77,12 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
         node-version:
-          - 12.13.0
-          - 12.x
-          - 14.15.0
+          - 14.17.0
           - 14.x
-          - 16.0.0
+          - 16.13.0
           - 16.x
+          - 18.0.0
+          - 18.x
         platform:
           - os: ubuntu-latest
             shell: bash
diff --git a/lib/cli.js b/lib/cli.js
index 7b87b94452ead..9aaf6c593675a 100644
--- a/lib/cli.js
+++ b/lib/cli.js
@@ -1,57 +1,112 @@
+// This is separate to indicate that it should contain code we expect to work in
+// all conceivably runnable versions of node.  This is a best effort to catch
+// syntax errors to give users a good error message if they are using a node
+// version that doesn't allow syntax we are using such as private properties, etc
+const createEnginesValidation = () => {
+  const node = process.version.replace(/-.*$/, '')
+  const pkg = require('../package.json')
+  const engines = pkg.engines.node
+  const npm = `v${pkg.version}`
+
+  const cols = Math.min(Math.max(20, process.stdout.columns) || 80, 80)
+  const wrap = (lines) => lines
+    .join(' ')
+    .split(/[ \n]+/)
+    .reduce((left, right) => {
+      const last = left.split('\n').pop()
+      const join = last.length && last.length + right.length > cols ? '\n' : ' '
+      return left + join + right
+    })
+    .trim()
+
+  const unsupportedMessage = wrap([
+    `npm ${npm} does not support Node.js ${node}.`,
+    `You should probably upgrade to a newer version of node as we can't make any`,
+    `promises that npm will work with this version.`,
+    `This version of npm supports the following node versions: \`${engines}\`.`,
+    'You can find the latest version at https://nodejs.org/.',
+  ])
+
+  const brokenMessage = wrap([
+    `ERROR: npm ${npm} is known not to run on Node.js ${node}.`,
+    `You'll need to upgrade to a newer Node.js version in order to use this version of npm.`,
+    `This version of npm supports the following node versions: \`${engines}\`.`,
+    'You can find the latest version at https://nodejs.org/.',
+  ])
+
+  // coverage ignored because this is only hit in very unsupported node versions
+  // and it's a best effort attempt to show something nice in those cases
+  /* istanbul ignore next */
+  const syntaxErrorHandler = (err) => {
+    if (err instanceof SyntaxError) {
+      // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
+      console.error(`${brokenMessage}\n\nERROR:`)
+      // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
+      console.error(err)
+      return process.exit(1)
+    }
+    throw err
+  }
+
+  process.on('uncaughtException', syntaxErrorHandler)
+  process.on('unhandledRejection', syntaxErrorHandler)
+
+  return {
+    node,
+    engines,
+    unsupportedMessage,
+    off: () => {
+      process.off('uncaughtException', syntaxErrorHandler)
+      process.off('unhandledRejection', syntaxErrorHandler)
+    },
+  }
+}
+
 // Separated out for easier unit testing
 module.exports = async process => {
   // set it here so that regardless of what happens later, we don't
   // leak any private CLI configs to other programs
   process.title = 'npm'
 
-  // We used to differentiate between known broken and unsupported
-  // versions of node and attempt to only log unsupported but still run.
-  // After we dropped node 10 support, we can use new features
-  // (like static, private, etc) which will only give vague syntax errors,
-  // so now both broken and unsupported use console, but only broken
-  // will process.exit. It is important to now perform *both* of these
-  // checks as early as possible so the user gets the error message.
-  const semver = require('semver')
-  const supported = require('../package.json').engines.node
-  const knownBroken = '<12.5.0'
-
-  const nodejsVersion = process.version.replace(/-.*$/, '')
-  /* eslint-disable no-console */
-  if (semver.satisfies(nodejsVersion, knownBroken)) {
-    console.error('ERROR: npm is known not to run on Node.js ' + process.version)
-    console.error("You'll need to upgrade to a newer Node.js version in order to use this")
-    console.error('version of npm. You can find the latest version at https://nodejs.org/')
-    process.exit(1)
-  }
-  if (!semver.satisfies(nodejsVersion, supported)) {
-    console.error('npm does not support Node.js ' + process.version)
-    console.error('You should probably upgrade to a newer version of node as we')
-    console.error("can't make any promises that npm will work with this version.")
-    console.error('You can find the latest version at https://nodejs.org/')
-  }
-  /* eslint-enable no-console */
+  // Nothing should happen before this line if we can't guarantee it will
+  // not have syntax errors in some version of node
+  const validateEngines = createEnginesValidation()
 
+  const satisfies = require('semver/functions/satisfies')
   const exitHandler = require('./utils/exit-handler.js')
-  process.on('uncaughtException', exitHandler)
-  process.on('unhandledRejection', exitHandler)
-
   const Npm = require('./npm.js')
   const npm = new Npm()
   exitHandler.setNpm(npm)
 
-  // if npm is called as "npmg" or "npm_g", then
-  // run in global mode.
+  // if npm is called as "npmg" or "npm_g", then run in global mode.
   if (process.argv[1][process.argv[1].length - 1] === 'g') {
     process.argv.splice(1, 1, 'npm', '-g')
   }
 
-  const log = require('./utils/log-shim.js')
   // only log node and npm paths in argv initially since argv can contain
   // sensitive info. a cleaned version will be logged later
+  const log = require('./utils/log-shim.js')
   log.verbose('cli', process.argv.slice(0, 2).join(' '))
   log.info('using', 'npm@%s', npm.version)
   log.info('using', 'node@%s', process.version)
 
+  // At this point we've required a few files and can be pretty sure
+  // we dont contain invalid syntax for this version of node. It's
+  // possible a lazy require would, but that's unlikely enough that
+  // it's not worth catching anymore and we attach the more important
+  // exit handlers.
+  validateEngines.off()
+  process.on('uncaughtException', exitHandler)
+  process.on('unhandledRejection', exitHandler)
+
+  // It is now safe to log a warning if they are using a version of node
+  // that is not going to fail on syntax errors but is still unsupported
+  // and untested and might not work reliably. This is safe to use the logger
+  // now which we want since this will show up in the error log too.
+  if (!satisfies(validateEngines.node, validateEngines.engines)) {
+    log.warn('cli', validateEngines.unsupportedMessage)
+  }
+
   let cmd
   // now actually fire up npm and run the command.
   // this is how to use npm programmatically:
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 46e6331583770..6adac81ec4b27 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@
         "tap": "^16.0.1"
       },
       "engines": {
-        "node": "^12.13.0 || ^14.15.0 || >=16"
+        "node": "^14.17.0 || ^16.13.0 || >=18.0.0"
       }
     },
     "docs": {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 458952142ff2b..1311b1c3216c3 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -256,6 +256,6 @@
   },
   "license": "Artistic-2.0",
   "engines": {
-    "node": "^12.13.0 || ^14.15.0 || >=16"
+    "node": "^14.17.0 || ^16.13.0 || >=18.0.0"
   }
 }
diff --git a/test/fixtures/mock-npm.js b/test/fixtures/mock-npm.js
index adf6c7432a561..330c341474da3 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/mock-npm.js
+++ b/test/fixtures/mock-npm.js
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ const LoadMockNpm = async (t, {
   globalPrefixDir = { lib: {} },
   config = {},
   mocks = {},
+  otherDirs = {},
   globals = null,
 } = {}) => {
   // Mock some globals with their original values so they get torn down
@@ -107,6 +108,7 @@ const LoadMockNpm = async (t, {
     prefix: prefixDir,
     cache: cacheDir,
     global: globalPrefixDir,
+    other: otherDirs,
   })
   const dirs = {
     testdir: dir,
@@ -114,6 +116,7 @@ const LoadMockNpm = async (t, {
     cache: path.join(dir, 'cache'),
     globalPrefix: path.join(dir, 'global'),
     home: path.join(dir, 'home'),
+    other: path.join(dir, 'other'),
   }
 
   // Set cache to testdir via env var so it is available when load is run
diff --git a/test/lib/cli.js b/test/lib/cli.js
index d36048cd918c6..5a75aa7fa121b 100644
--- a/test/lib/cli.js
+++ b/test/lib/cli.js
@@ -172,37 +172,15 @@ t.test('load error calls error handler', async t => {
   t.strictSame(exitHandlerCalled(), [err])
 })
 
-t.test('known broken node version', async t => {
-  const errors = []
-  let exitCode
-  const { cli } = await cliMock(t, {
-    globals: {
-      'console.error': (msg) => errors.push(msg),
-      'process.version': '6.0.0',
-      'process.exit': e => exitCode = e,
-    },
-  })
-  await cli(process)
-  t.match(errors, [
-    'ERROR: npm is known not to run on Node.js 6.0.0',
-    'You\'ll need to upgrade to a newer Node.js version in order to use this',
-    'version of npm. You can find the latest version at https://nodejs.org/',
-  ])
-  t.match(exitCode, 1)
-})
-
 t.test('unsupported node version', async t => {
-  const errors = []
-  const { cli } = await cliMock(t, {
+  const { cli, logs } = await cliMock(t, {
     globals: {
-      'console.error': (msg) => errors.push(msg),
       'process.version': '12.6.0',
     },
   })
   await cli(process)
-  t.match(errors, [
-    'npm does not support Node.js 12.6.0',
-    'You should probably upgrade to a newer version of node as we',
-    'can\'t make any promises that npm will work with this version.',
-  ])
+  t.match(
+    logs.warn[0][1],
+    /npm v.* does not support Node\.js 12\.6\.0\./
+  )
 })
diff --git a/test/lib/commands/install.js b/test/lib/commands/install.js
index 9b2d52f6edd21..632ca22be9e71 100644
--- a/test/lib/commands/install.js
+++ b/test/lib/commands/install.js
@@ -1,273 +1,262 @@
 const t = require('tap')
-const path = require('path')
 
 const { load: _loadMockNpm } = require('../../fixtures/mock-npm')
 
 // Make less churn in the test to pass in mocks only signature
 const loadMockNpm = (t, mocks) => _loadMockNpm(t, { mocks })
 
-t.test('with args, dev=true', async t => {
-  const SCRIPTS = []
-  let ARB_ARGS = null
-  let REIFY_CALLED = false
-  let ARB_OBJ = null
+t.test('exec commands', async t => {
+  await t.test('with args, dev=true', async t => {
+    const SCRIPTS = []
+    let ARB_ARGS = null
+    let REIFY_CALLED = false
+    let ARB_OBJ = null
 
-  const { npm } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
-    '@npmcli/run-script': ({ event }) => {
-      SCRIPTS.push(event)
-    },
-    '@npmcli/arborist': function (args) {
-      ARB_ARGS = args
-      ARB_OBJ = this
-      this.reify = () => {
-        REIFY_CALLED = true
-      }
-    },
-    '../../lib/utils/reify-finish.js': (npm, arb) => {
-      if (arb !== ARB_OBJ) {
-        throw new Error('got wrong object passed to reify-finish')
-      }
-    },
-  })
-
-  // This is here because CI calls tests with `--ignore-scripts`, which config
-  // picks up from argv
-  npm.config.set('ignore-scripts', false)
-  npm.config.set('audit-level', 'low')
-  npm.config.set('dev', true)
-  // tap sets this to
-  // D:\\a\\cli\\cli\\test\\lib\\commands/tap-testdir-install-should-install-globally-using-Arborist
-  // which gets normalized elsewhere so comparative tests fail
-  npm.prefix = path.resolve(t.testdir({}))
-
-  await npm.exec('install', ['fizzbuzz'])
+    const { npm } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
+      '@npmcli/run-script': ({ event }) => {
+        SCRIPTS.push(event)
+      },
+      '@npmcli/arborist': function (args) {
+        ARB_ARGS = args
+        ARB_OBJ = this
+        this.reify = () => {
+          REIFY_CALLED = true
+        }
+      },
+      '../../lib/utils/reify-finish.js': (npm, arb) => {
+        if (arb !== ARB_OBJ) {
+          throw new Error('got wrong object passed to reify-finish')
+        }
+      },
+    })
 
-  t.match(
-    ARB_ARGS,
-    { global: false, path: npm.prefix, auditLevel: null },
-    'Arborist gets correct args and ignores auditLevel'
-  )
-  t.equal(REIFY_CALLED, true, 'called reify')
-  t.strictSame(SCRIPTS, [], 'no scripts when adding dep')
-})
+    // This is here because CI calls tests with `--ignore-scripts`, which config
+    // picks up from argv
+    npm.config.set('ignore-scripts', false)
+    npm.config.set('audit-level', 'low')
+    npm.config.set('dev', true)
 
-t.test('without args', async t => {
-  const SCRIPTS = []
-  let ARB_ARGS = null
-  let REIFY_CALLED = false
-  let ARB_OBJ = null
+    await npm.exec('install', ['fizzbuzz'])
 
-  const { npm } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
-    '@npmcli/run-script': ({ event }) => {
-      SCRIPTS.push(event)
-    },
-    '@npmcli/arborist': function (args) {
-      ARB_ARGS = args
-      ARB_OBJ = this
-      this.reify = () => {
-        REIFY_CALLED = true
-      }
-    },
-    '../../lib/utils/reify-finish.js': (npm, arb) => {
-      if (arb !== ARB_OBJ) {
-        throw new Error('got wrong object passed to reify-finish')
-      }
-    },
+    t.match(
+      ARB_ARGS,
+      { global: false, path: npm.prefix, auditLevel: null },
+      'Arborist gets correct args and ignores auditLevel'
+    )
+    t.equal(REIFY_CALLED, true, 'called reify')
+    t.strictSame(SCRIPTS, [], 'no scripts when adding dep')
   })
 
-  npm.prefix = path.resolve(t.testdir({}))
-  npm.config.set('ignore-scripts', false)
-  await npm.exec('install', [])
-  t.match(ARB_ARGS, { global: false, path: npm.prefix })
-  t.equal(REIFY_CALLED, true, 'called reify')
-  t.strictSame(SCRIPTS, [
-    'preinstall',
-    'install',
-    'postinstall',
-    'prepublish',
-    'preprepare',
-    'prepare',
-    'postprepare',
-  ], 'exec scripts when doing local build')
-})
+  await t.test('without args', async t => {
+    const SCRIPTS = []
+    let ARB_ARGS = null
+    let REIFY_CALLED = false
+    let ARB_OBJ = null
 
-t.test('should ignore scripts with --ignore-scripts', async t => {
-  const SCRIPTS = []
-  let REIFY_CALLED = false
-  const { npm } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
-    '../../lib/utils/reify-finish.js': async () => {},
-    '@npmcli/run-script': ({ event }) => {
-      SCRIPTS.push(event)
-    },
-    '@npmcli/arborist': function () {
-      this.reify = () => {
-        REIFY_CALLED = true
-      }
-    },
-  })
-  npm.config.set('ignore-scripts', true)
-  npm.prefix = path.resolve(t.testdir({}))
-  await npm.exec('install', [])
-  t.equal(REIFY_CALLED, true, 'called reify')
-  t.strictSame(SCRIPTS, [], 'no scripts when adding dep')
-})
+    const { npm } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
+      '@npmcli/run-script': ({ event }) => {
+        SCRIPTS.push(event)
+      },
+      '@npmcli/arborist': function (args) {
+        ARB_ARGS = args
+        ARB_OBJ = this
+        this.reify = () => {
+          REIFY_CALLED = true
+        }
+      },
+      '../../lib/utils/reify-finish.js': (npm, arb) => {
+        if (arb !== ARB_OBJ) {
+          throw new Error('got wrong object passed to reify-finish')
+        }
+      },
+    })
 
-t.test('should install globally using Arborist', async t => {
-  const SCRIPTS = []
-  let ARB_ARGS = null
-  let REIFY_CALLED
-  const { npm } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
-    '@npmcli/run-script': ({ event }) => {
-      SCRIPTS.push(event)
-    },
-    '../../lib/utils/reify-finish.js': async () => {},
-    '@npmcli/arborist': function (args) {
-      ARB_ARGS = args
-      this.reify = () => {
-        REIFY_CALLED = true
-      }
-    },
+    npm.config.set('ignore-scripts', false)
+    await npm.exec('install', [])
+    t.match(ARB_ARGS, { global: false, path: npm.prefix })
+    t.equal(REIFY_CALLED, true, 'called reify')
+    t.strictSame(SCRIPTS, [
+      'preinstall',
+      'install',
+      'postinstall',
+      'prepublish',
+      'preprepare',
+      'prepare',
+      'postprepare',
+    ], 'exec scripts when doing local build')
   })
-  npm.config.set('global', true)
-  npm.globalPrefix = path.resolve(t.testdir({}))
-  await npm.exec('install', [])
-  t.match(
-    ARB_ARGS,
-    { global: true, path: npm.globalPrefix }
-  )
-  t.equal(REIFY_CALLED, true, 'called reify')
-  t.strictSame(SCRIPTS, [], 'no scripts when installing globally')
-})
 
-t.test('should not install invalid global package name', async t => {
-  const { npm } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
-    '@npmcli/run-script': () => {},
-    '../../lib/utils/reify-finish.js': async () => {},
-    '@npmcli/arborist': function (args) {
-      throw new Error('should not reify')
-    },
+  await t.test('should ignore scripts with --ignore-scripts', async t => {
+    const SCRIPTS = []
+    let REIFY_CALLED = false
+    const { npm } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
+      '../../lib/utils/reify-finish.js': async () => {},
+      '@npmcli/run-script': ({ event }) => {
+        SCRIPTS.push(event)
+      },
+      '@npmcli/arborist': function () {
+        this.reify = () => {
+          REIFY_CALLED = true
+        }
+      },
+    })
+    npm.config.set('ignore-scripts', true)
+    await npm.exec('install', [])
+    t.equal(REIFY_CALLED, true, 'called reify')
+    t.strictSame(SCRIPTS, [], 'no scripts when adding dep')
   })
-  npm.config.set('global', true)
-  npm.globalPrefix = path.resolve(t.testdir({}))
-  await t.rejects(
-    npm.exec('install', ['']),
-    /Usage:/,
-    'should not install invalid package name'
-  )
-})
 
-t.test('npm i -g npm engines check success', async t => {
-  const { npm } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
-    '../../lib/utils/reify-finish.js': async () => {},
-    '@npmcli/arborist': function () {
-      this.reify = () => {}
-    },
-    pacote: {
-      manifest: () => {
-        return {
-          version: '100.100.100',
-          engines: {
-            node: '>1',
-          },
+  await t.test('should install globally using Arborist', async t => {
+    const SCRIPTS = []
+    let ARB_ARGS = null
+    let REIFY_CALLED
+    const { npm } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
+      '@npmcli/run-script': ({ event }) => {
+        SCRIPTS.push(event)
+      },
+      '../../lib/utils/reify-finish.js': async () => {},
+      '@npmcli/arborist': function (args) {
+        ARB_ARGS = args
+        this.reify = () => {
+          REIFY_CALLED = true
         }
       },
-    },
+    })
+    npm.config.set('global', true)
+    await npm.exec('install', [])
+    t.match(
+      ARB_ARGS,
+      { global: true, path: npm.globalPrefix }
+    )
+    t.equal(REIFY_CALLED, true, 'called reify')
+    t.strictSame(SCRIPTS, [], 'no scripts when installing globally')
   })
-  npm.globalDir = t.testdir({})
-  npm.config.set('global', true)
-  await npm.exec('install', ['npm'])
-  t.ok('No exceptions happen')
-})
 
-t.test('npm i -g npm engines check failure', async t => {
-  const { npm } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
-    pacote: {
-      manifest: () => {
-        return {
-          _id: 'npm@1.2.3',
-          version: '100.100.100',
-          engines: {
-            node: '>1000',
-          },
-        }
+  await t.test('should not install invalid global package name', async t => {
+    const { npm } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
+      '@npmcli/run-script': () => {},
+      '../../lib/utils/reify-finish.js': async () => {},
+      '@npmcli/arborist': function (args) {
+        throw new Error('should not reify')
       },
-    },
+    })
+    npm.config.set('global', true)
+    await t.rejects(
+      npm.exec('install', ['']),
+      /Usage:/,
+      'should not install invalid package name'
+    )
   })
-  npm.globalDir = t.testdir({})
-  npm.config.set('global', true)
-  await t.rejects(
-    npm.exec('install', ['npm']),
-    {
-      message: 'Unsupported engine',
-      pkgid: 'npm@1.2.3',
-      current: {
-        node: process.version,
-        npm: '100.100.100',
+
+  await t.test('npm i -g npm engines check success', async t => {
+    const { npm } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
+      '../../lib/utils/reify-finish.js': async () => {},
+      '@npmcli/arborist': function () {
+        this.reify = () => {}
       },
-      required: {
-        node: '>1000',
+      pacote: {
+        manifest: () => {
+          return {
+            version: '100.100.100',
+            engines: {
+              node: '>1',
+            },
+          }
+        },
       },
-      code: 'EBADENGINE',
-    }
-  )
-})
+    })
+    npm.config.set('global', true)
+    await npm.exec('install', ['npm'])
+    t.ok('No exceptions happen')
+  })
 
-t.test('npm i -g npm engines check failure forced override', async t => {
-  const { npm } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
-    '../../lib/utils/reify-finish.js': async () => {},
-    '@npmcli/arborist': function () {
-      this.reify = () => {}
-    },
-    pacote: {
-      manifest: () => {
-        return {
-          _id: 'npm@1.2.3',
-          version: '100.100.100',
-          engines: {
-            node: '>1000',
-          },
-        }
+  await t.test('npm i -g npm engines check failure', async t => {
+    const { npm } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
+      pacote: {
+        manifest: () => {
+          return {
+            _id: 'npm@1.2.3',
+            version: '100.100.100',
+            engines: {
+              node: '>1000',
+            },
+          }
+        },
       },
-    },
+    })
+    npm.config.set('global', true)
+    await t.rejects(
+      npm.exec('install', ['npm']),
+      {
+        message: 'Unsupported engine',
+        pkgid: 'npm@1.2.3',
+        current: {
+          node: process.version,
+          npm: '100.100.100',
+        },
+        required: {
+          node: '>1000',
+        },
+        code: 'EBADENGINE',
+      }
+    )
   })
-  npm.globalDir = t.testdir({})
-  npm.config.set('global', true)
-  npm.config.set('force', true)
-  await npm.exec('install', ['npm'])
-  t.ok('Does not throw')
-})
 
-t.test('npm i -g npm@version engines check failure', async t => {
-  const { npm } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
-    pacote: {
-      manifest: () => {
-        return {
-          _id: 'npm@1.2.3',
-          version: '100.100.100',
-          engines: {
-            node: '>1000',
-          },
-        }
+  await t.test('npm i -g npm engines check failure forced override', async t => {
+    const { npm } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
+      '../../lib/utils/reify-finish.js': async () => {},
+      '@npmcli/arborist': function () {
+        this.reify = () => {}
       },
-    },
-  })
-  npm.globalDir = t.testdir({})
-  npm.config.set('global', true)
-  await t.rejects(
-    npm.exec('install', ['npm@100']),
-    {
-      message: 'Unsupported engine',
-      pkgid: 'npm@1.2.3',
-      current: {
-        node: process.version,
-        npm: '100.100.100',
+      pacote: {
+        manifest: () => {
+          return {
+            _id: 'npm@1.2.3',
+            version: '100.100.100',
+            engines: {
+              node: '>1000',
+            },
+          }
+        },
       },
-      required: {
-        node: '>1000',
+    })
+    npm.config.set('global', true)
+    npm.config.set('force', true)
+    await npm.exec('install', ['npm'])
+    t.ok('Does not throw')
+  })
+
+  await t.test('npm i -g npm@version engines check failure', async t => {
+    const { npm } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
+      pacote: {
+        manifest: () => {
+          return {
+            _id: 'npm@1.2.3',
+            version: '100.100.100',
+            engines: {
+              node: '>1000',
+            },
+          }
+        },
       },
-      code: 'EBADENGINE',
-    }
-  )
+    })
+    npm.config.set('global', true)
+    await t.rejects(
+      npm.exec('install', ['npm@100']),
+      {
+        message: 'Unsupported engine',
+        pkgid: 'npm@1.2.3',
+        current: {
+          node: process.version,
+          npm: '100.100.100',
+        },
+        required: {
+          node: '>1000',
+        },
+        code: 'EBADENGINE',
+      }
+    )
+  })
 })
 
 t.test('completion', async t => {
diff --git a/test/lib/npm.js b/test/lib/npm.js
index 62e48ce6050db..d9201c8a6aa92 100644
--- a/test/lib/npm.js
+++ b/test/lib/npm.js
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ t.test('not yet loaded', async t => {
 })
 
 t.test('npm.load', async t => {
-  t.test('load error', async t => {
+  await t.test('load error', async t => {
     const { npm } = await loadMockNpm(t, { load: false })
     const loadError = new Error('load error')
     npm.config.load = async () => {
@@ -75,9 +75,12 @@ t.test('npm.load', async t => {
     t.equal(npm.loadErr, loadError)
   })
 
-  t.test('basic loading', async t => {
-    const { npm, logs, prefix: dir, cache } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
+  await t.test('basic loading', async t => {
+    const { npm, logs, prefix: dir, cache, other } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
       prefixDir: { node_modules: {} },
+      otherDirs: {
+        newCache: {},
+      },
     })
 
     t.equal(npm.loaded, true)
@@ -94,10 +97,9 @@ t.test('npm.load', async t => {
 
     mockGlobals(t, { process: { platform: 'posix' } })
     t.equal(resolve(npm.cache), resolve(cache), 'cache is cache')
-    const newCache = t.testdir()
-    npm.cache = newCache
-    t.equal(npm.config.get('cache'), newCache, 'cache setter sets config')
-    t.equal(npm.cache, newCache, 'cache getter gets new config')
+    npm.cache = other.newCache
+    t.equal(npm.config.get('cache'), other.newCache, 'cache setter sets config')
+    t.equal(npm.cache, other.newCache, 'cache getter gets new config')
     t.equal(npm.lockfileVersion, 2, 'lockfileVersion getter')
     t.equal(npm.prefix, npm.localPrefix, 'prefix is local prefix')
     t.not(npm.prefix, npm.globalPrefix, 'prefix is not global prefix')
@@ -138,7 +140,7 @@ t.test('npm.load', async t => {
     t.equal(tmp, npm.tmp, 'getter only generates it once')
   })
 
-  t.test('forceful loading', async t => {
+  await t.test('forceful loading', async t => {
     const { logs } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
       globals: {
         'process.argv': [...process.argv, '--force', '--color', 'always'],
@@ -152,7 +154,7 @@ t.test('npm.load', async t => {
     ])
   })
 
-  t.test('node is a symlink', async t => {
+  await t.test('node is a symlink', async t => {
     const node = process.platform === 'win32' ? 'node.exe' : 'node'
     const { npm, logs, outputs, prefix } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
       prefixDir: {
@@ -227,7 +229,7 @@ t.test('npm.load', async t => {
     t.same(outputs, [['scope=@foo\n\u2010not-a-dash=undefined']])
   })
 
-  t.test('--no-workspaces with --workspace', async t => {
+  await t.test('--no-workspaces with --workspace', async t => {
     const { npm } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
       load: false,
       prefixDir: {
@@ -262,7 +264,7 @@ t.test('npm.load', async t => {
     )
   })
 
-  t.test('workspace-aware configs and commands', async t => {
+  await t.test('workspace-aware configs and commands', async t => {
     const { npm, outputs } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
       prefixDir: {
         packages: {
@@ -318,7 +320,7 @@ t.test('npm.load', async t => {
     )
   })
 
-  t.test('workspaces in global mode', async t => {
+  await t.test('workspaces in global mode', async t => {
     const { npm } = await loadMockNpm(t, {
       prefixDir: {
         packages: {