diff --git a/test/parallel/test-npm-install.js b/test/parallel/test-npm-install.js
index dc9f60b799e0f6..069465466df682 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-npm-install.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-npm-install.js
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ const tmpdir = require('../common/tmpdir');
 tmpdir.refresh();
 const npmSandbox = path.join(tmpdir.path, 'npm-sandbox');
 fs.mkdirSync(npmSandbox);
+const homeDir = path.join(tmpdir.path, 'home');
+fs.mkdirSync(homeDir);
 const installDir = path.join(tmpdir.path, 'install-dir');
 fs.mkdirSync(installDir);
 
@@ -40,7 +42,7 @@ const env = Object.assign({}, process.env, {
   PATH: path.dirname(process.execPath),
   NPM_CONFIG_PREFIX: path.join(npmSandbox, 'npm-prefix'),
   NPM_CONFIG_TMP: path.join(npmSandbox, 'npm-tmp'),
-  HOME: path.join(npmSandbox, 'home'),
+  HOME: homeDir,
 });
 
 exec(`${process.execPath} ${npmPath} install`, {