diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/lambda-layer-node-proxy-agent/layer/.dockerignore b/packages/@aws-cdk/lambda-layer-node-proxy-agent/layer/.dockerignore
index 69b73f61d249a..88a84e55aa43b 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/lambda-layer-node-proxy-agent/layer/.dockerignore
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/lambda-layer-node-proxy-agent/layer/.dockerignore
@@ -1,2 +1 @@
 build.sh
-.no-packagejson-validator
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/lambda-layer-node-proxy-agent/layer/.no-packagejson-validator b/packages/@aws-cdk/lambda-layer-node-proxy-agent/layer/.no-packagejson-validator
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29bb2d1d..0000000000000
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/lambda-layer-node-proxy-agent/layer/Dockerfile b/packages/@aws-cdk/lambda-layer-node-proxy-agent/layer/Dockerfile
index 8c747a0e2b95f..2e3f644258652 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/lambda-layer-node-proxy-agent/layer/Dockerfile
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/lambda-layer-node-proxy-agent/layer/Dockerfile
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 # base lambda image
 FROM public.ecr.aws/lambda/nodejs:latest
 
+ARG PROXY_AGENT_VERSION=5.0.0
+
 USER root
 RUN mkdir -p /opt
 WORKDIR /tmp
@@ -17,8 +19,7 @@ RUN yum update -y \
 #
 
 RUN mkdir -p /opt/nodejs
-COPY package.json /opt/nodejs
-RUN cd /opt/nodejs && npm install
+RUN cd /opt/nodejs && npm install proxy-agent@${PROXY_AGENT_VERSION}
 
 #
 # create the bundle
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/lambda-layer-node-proxy-agent/layer/package.json b/packages/@aws-cdk/lambda-layer-node-proxy-agent/layer/package.json
deleted file mode 100644
index 102dd83c99391..0000000000000
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/lambda-layer-node-proxy-agent/layer/package.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "name": "node-proxy-agent-layer",
-  "private": true,
-  "version": "0.0.1",
-  "license": "Apache-2.0",
-  "devDependencies": {
-    "proxy-agent": "^5.0.0"
-  }
-}
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/lambda-layer-node-proxy-agent/lib/node-proxy-agent-layer.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/lambda-layer-node-proxy-agent/lib/node-proxy-agent-layer.ts
index 9e6471a2da2c6..60b8c8697dea7 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/lambda-layer-node-proxy-agent/lib/node-proxy-agent-layer.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/lambda-layer-node-proxy-agent/lib/node-proxy-agent-layer.ts
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ export class NodeProxyAgentLayer extends lambda.LayerVersion {
   constructor(scope: Construct, id: string) {
     super(scope, id, {
       code: lambda.Code.fromAsset(path.join(__dirname, 'layer.zip'), {
-        // we hash the package.json (it contains the tools versions) because hashing the zip is non-deterministic
-        assetHash: hashFile(path.join(__dirname, '..', 'layer', 'package.json')),
+        // we hash the Dockerfile (it contains the tools versions) because hashing the zip is non-deterministic
+        assetHash: hashFile(path.join(__dirname, '..', 'layer', 'Dockerfile')),
       }),
       description: '/opt/nodejs/node_modules/proxy-agent',
     });