diff --git a/test/parallel/test-npm-install.js b/test/parallel/test-npm-install.js
index c716e48aef..8a900cf7f7 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-npm-install.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-npm-install.js
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ const assert = require('assert');
 const fs = require('fs');
 
 common.refreshTmpDir();
+const npmSandbox = path.join(common.tmpDir, 'npm-sandbox');
+fs.mkdirSync(npmSandbox);
+const installDir = path.join(common.tmpDir, 'install-dir');
+fs.mkdirSync(installDir);
 
 const npmPath = path.join(
   common.testDir,
@@ -28,15 +32,18 @@ const pkgContent = JSON.stringify({
   }
 });
 
-const pkgPath = path.join(common.tmpDir, 'package.json');
+const pkgPath = path.join(installDir, 'package.json');
 
 fs.writeFileSync(pkgPath, pkgContent);
 
 const env = Object.create(process.env);
 env['PATH'] = path.dirname(process.execPath);
+env['NPM_CONFIG_PREFIX'] = path.join(npmSandbox, 'npm-prefix');
+env['NPM_CONFIG_TMP'] = path.join(npmSandbox, 'npm-tmp');
+env['HOME'] = path.join(npmSandbox, 'home');
 
 const proc = spawn(process.execPath, args, {
-  cwd: common.tmpDir,
+  cwd: installDir,
   env: env
 });
 
@@ -44,7 +51,7 @@ function handleExit(code, signalCode) {
   assert.equal(code, 0, 'npm install should run without an error');
   assert.ok(signalCode === null, 'signalCode should be null');
   assert.doesNotThrow(function() {
-    fs.accessSync(common.tmpDir + '/node_modules/package-name');
+    fs.accessSync(installDir + '/node_modules/package-name');
   });
 }