diff --git a/nodejs/main.tf b/nodejs/main.tf
index a4533e4b..9c9c5c76 100644
--- a/nodejs/main.tf
+++ b/nodejs/main.tf
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@ variable "nvm_version" {
 
 variable "nvm_install_prefix" {
   type        = string
-  description = "The prefix to install nvm to."
-  default     = "$HOME/.nvm"
+  description = "The prefix to install nvm to (relative to $HOME)."
+  default     = ".nvm"
 }
 
 variable "node_versions" {
diff --git a/nodejs/run.sh b/nodejs/run.sh
index dd2b49a5..78e940a7 100755
--- a/nodejs/run.sh
+++ b/nodejs/run.sh
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ RESET='\033[0m'
 
 printf "$${BOLD}Installing nvm!$${RESET}\n"
 
-export NVM_DIR="$${INSTALL_PREFIX}/nvm"
+export NVM_DIR="$HOME/$${INSTALL_PREFIX}/nvm"
+mkdir -p "$NVM_DIR"
 
 script="$(curl -sS -o- "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/$${NVM_VERSION}/install.sh" 2>&1)"
 if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then