diff --git a/poky/meta/classes/npm.bbclass b/poky/meta/classes/npm.bbclass
index 55a6985..8f8712a 100644
--- a/poky/meta/classes/npm.bbclass
+++ b/poky/meta/classes/npm.bbclass
@@ -247,8 +247,10 @@
         # Add node-gyp configuration
         configs.append(("arch", d.getVar("NPM_ARCH")))
         configs.append(("release", "true"))
-        sysroot = d.getVar("RECIPE_SYSROOT_NATIVE")
-        nodedir = os.path.join(sysroot, d.getVar("prefix_native").strip("/"))
+        nodedir = d.getVar("NPM_NODEDIR")
+        if not nodedir:
+            sysroot = d.getVar("RECIPE_SYSROOT_NATIVE")
+            nodedir = os.path.join(sysroot, d.getVar("prefix_native").strip("/"))
         configs.append(("nodedir", nodedir))
         configs.append(("python", d.getVar("PYTHON")))