diff --git a/packages/integrations/node/README.md b/packages/integrations/node/README.md
index 3772a23d8d08..2743525771b6 100644
--- a/packages/integrations/node/README.md
+++ b/packages/integrations/node/README.md
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ import node from '@astrojs/node';
 
 export default defineConfig({
   // ...
+  output: 'server',
   adapter: node()
 })
 ```
diff --git a/packages/integrations/node/src/index.ts b/packages/integrations/node/src/index.ts
index b90cd9d2e990..8ff6fc423787 100644
--- a/packages/integrations/node/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/integrations/node/src/index.ts
@@ -12,8 +12,12 @@ export default function createIntegration(): AstroIntegration {
 	return {
 		name: '@astrojs/node',
 		hooks: {
-			'astro:config:done': ({ setAdapter }) => {
+			'astro:config:done': ({ setAdapter, config }) => {
 				setAdapter(getAdapter());
+
+				if(config.output === 'static') {
+					console.warn(`[@astrojs/Node] \`output: "server"\` is required to use this adapter.`);
+				}
 			},
 		},
 	};
diff --git a/packages/integrations/node/test/api-route.test.js b/packages/integrations/node/test/api-route.test.js
index a28b88e7f363..034b53c07f53 100644
--- a/packages/integrations/node/test/api-route.test.js
+++ b/packages/integrations/node/test/api-route.test.js
@@ -9,9 +9,7 @@ describe('API routes', () => {
 	before(async () => {
 		fixture = await loadFixture({
 			root: './fixtures/api-route/',
-			experimental: {
-				ssr: true,
-			},
+			output: 'server',
 			adapter: nodejs(),
 		});
 		await fixture.build();