diff --git a/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_mise-config_1.snap.json b/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_mise-config_1.snap.json
index 36ebed3..c1e49ee 100755
--- a/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_mise-config_1.snap.json
+++ b/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_mise-config_1.snap.json
@@ -26,15 +26,6 @@
     "step": "packages:mise"
    },
    {
-    "include": [
-     "/app/node_modules"
-    ],
-    "step": "prune"
-   },
-   {
-    "exclude": [
-     "node_modules"
-    ],
     "include": [
      "."
     ],
@@ -126,23 +117,12 @@
    }
   },
   {
-   "caches": [
-    "npm-install"
-   ],
-   "commands": [
-    {
-     "cmd": "npm prune --omit=dev"
-    }
-   ],
    "inputs": [
     {
      "step": "install"
     }
    ],
-   "name": "prune",
-   "variables": {
-    "NPM_CONFIG_PRODUCTION": "true"
-   }
+   "name": "prune"
   },
   {
    "caches": [
diff --git a/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_node-bun_1.snap.json b/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_node-bun_1.snap.json
index 7cc312c..bc4bcd3 100755
--- a/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_node-bun_1.snap.json
+++ b/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_node-bun_1.snap.json
@@ -25,15 +25,6 @@
     "step": "packages:mise"
    },
    {
-    "include": [
-     "/app/node_modules"
-    ],
-    "step": "prune"
-   },
-   {
-    "exclude": [
-     "node_modules"
-    ],
     "include": [
      "."
     ],
@@ -125,24 +116,12 @@
    }
   },
   {
-   "caches": [
-    "bun-install"
-   ],
-   "commands": [
-    {
-     "cmd": "sh -c 'rm -rf node_modules \u0026\u0026 bun install --production'",
-     "customName": "rm -rf node_modules \u0026\u0026 bun install --production"
-    }
-   ],
    "inputs": [
     {
      "step": "install"
     }
    ],
-   "name": "prune",
-   "variables": {
-    "NPM_CONFIG_PRODUCTION": "true"
-   }
+   "name": "prune"
   },
   {
    "caches": [
diff --git a/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_node-corepack_1.snap.json b/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_node-corepack_1.snap.json
index 7af489d..c4c4ad8 100755
--- a/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_node-corepack_1.snap.json
+++ b/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_node-corepack_1.snap.json
@@ -25,15 +25,6 @@
     "step": "packages:mise"
    },
    {
-    "include": [
-     "/app/node_modules"
-    ],
-    "step": "prune"
-   },
-   {
-    "exclude": [
-     "node_modules"
-    ],
     "include": [
      ".",
      "/root/.cache"
@@ -137,23 +128,12 @@
    }
   },
   {
-   "caches": [
-    "pnpm-install"
-   ],
-   "commands": [
-    {
-     "cmd": "pnpm prune --prod"
-    }
-   ],
    "inputs": [
     {
      "step": "install"
     }
    ],
-   "name": "prune",
-   "variables": {
-    "NPM_CONFIG_PRODUCTION": "true"
-   }
+   "name": "prune"
   },
   {
    "caches": [
diff --git a/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_node-next_1.snap.json b/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_node-next_1.snap.json
index 469a57b..f88d8b5 100755
--- a/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_node-next_1.snap.json
+++ b/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_node-next_1.snap.json
@@ -29,15 +29,6 @@
     "step": "packages:mise"
    },
    {
-    "include": [
-     "/app/node_modules"
-    ],
-    "step": "prune"
-   },
-   {
-    "exclude": [
-     "node_modules"
-    ],
     "include": [
      "."
     ],
@@ -129,23 +120,12 @@
    }
   },
   {
-   "caches": [
-    "npm-install"
-   ],
-   "commands": [
-    {
-     "cmd": "npm prune --omit=dev"
-    }
-   ],
    "inputs": [
     {
      "step": "install"
     }
    ],
-   "name": "prune",
-   "variables": {
-    "NPM_CONFIG_PRODUCTION": "true"
-   }
+   "name": "prune"
   },
   {
    "caches": [
diff --git a/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_node-npm-workspaces_1.snap.json b/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_node-npm-workspaces_1.snap.json
index 8f0228f..b2219a0 100755
--- a/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_node-npm-workspaces_1.snap.json
+++ b/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_node-npm-workspaces_1.snap.json
@@ -25,15 +25,6 @@
     "step": "packages:mise"
    },
    {
-    "include": [
-     "/app/node_modules"
-    ],
-    "step": "prune"
-   },
-   {
-    "exclude": [
-     "node_modules"
-    ],
     "include": [
      "."
     ],
@@ -133,23 +124,12 @@
    }
   },
   {
-   "caches": [
-    "npm-install"
-   ],
-   "commands": [
-    {
-     "cmd": "npm prune --omit=dev"
-    }
-   ],
    "inputs": [
     {
      "step": "install"
     }
    ],
-   "name": "prune",
-   "variables": {
-    "NPM_CONFIG_PRODUCTION": "true"
-   }
+   "name": "prune"
   },
   {
    "caches": [
diff --git a/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_node-npm_1.snap.json b/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_node-npm_1.snap.json
index 5a1c5d5..2a5d392 100755
--- a/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_node-npm_1.snap.json
+++ b/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_node-npm_1.snap.json
@@ -25,15 +25,6 @@
     "step": "packages:mise"
    },
    {
-    "include": [
-     "/app/node_modules"
-    ],
-    "step": "prune"
-   },
-   {
-    "exclude": [
-     "node_modules"
-    ],
     "include": [
      "."
     ],
@@ -125,23 +116,12 @@
    }
   },
   {
-   "caches": [
-    "npm-install"
-   ],
-   "commands": [
-    {
-     "cmd": "npm prune --omit=dev"
-    }
-   ],
    "inputs": [
     {
      "step": "install"
     }
    ],
-   "name": "prune",
-   "variables": {
-    "NPM_CONFIG_PRODUCTION": "true"
-   }
+   "name": "prune"
   },
   {
    "caches": [
diff --git a/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_node-pnpm-workspaces_1.snap.json b/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_node-pnpm-workspaces_1.snap.json
index 544d30b..deb6704 100755
--- a/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_node-pnpm-workspaces_1.snap.json
+++ b/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_node-pnpm-workspaces_1.snap.json
@@ -25,15 +25,6 @@
     "step": "packages:mise"
    },
    {
-    "include": [
-     "/app/node_modules"
-    ],
-    "step": "prune"
-   },
-   {
-    "exclude": [
-     "node_modules"
-    ],
     "include": [
      "."
     ],
@@ -137,23 +128,12 @@
    }
   },
   {
-   "caches": [
-    "pnpm-install"
-   ],
-   "commands": [
-    {
-     "cmd": "pnpm prune --prod"
-    }
-   ],
    "inputs": [
     {
      "step": "install"
     }
    ],
-   "name": "prune",
-   "variables": {
-    "NPM_CONFIG_PRODUCTION": "true"
-   }
+   "name": "prune"
   },
   {
    "caches": [
diff --git a/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_node-turborepo_1.snap.json b/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_node-turborepo_1.snap.json
index fb51075..f0d799e 100755
--- a/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_node-turborepo_1.snap.json
+++ b/core/__snapshots__/TestGenerateBuildPlanForExamples_node-turborepo_1.snap.json
@@ -33,15 +33,6 @@
     "step": "packages:mise"
    },
    {
-    "include": [
-     "/app/node_modules"
-    ],
-    "step": "prune"
-   },
-   {
-    "exclude": [
-     "node_modules"
-    ],
     "include": [
      ".",
      "/root/.cache"
@@ -168,23 +159,12 @@
    }
   },
   {
-   "caches": [
-    "npm-install"
-   ],
-   "commands": [
-    {
-     "cmd": "npm prune --omit=dev"
-    }
-   ],
    "inputs": [
     {
      "step": "install"
     }
    ],
-   "name": "prune",
-   "variables": {
-    "NPM_CONFIG_PRODUCTION": "true"
-   }
+   "name": "prune"
   },
   {
    "caches": [
diff --git a/core/providers/node/node.go b/core/providers/node/node.go
index 5d1172b..86969eb 100644
--- a/core/providers/node/node.go
+++ b/core/providers/node/node.go
@@ -66,7 +66,10 @@ func (p *NodeProvider) Plan(ctx *generate.GenerateContext) error {
 	// Prune
 	prune := ctx.NewCommandStep("prune")
 	prune.AddInput(plan.NewStepInput(install.Name()))
-	p.PruneNodeDeps(ctx, prune)
+	prune.Secrets = []string{}
+	if p.shouldPrune(ctx) {
+		p.PruneNodeDeps(ctx, prune)
+	}
 
 	// Build
 	build := ctx.NewCommandStep("build")
@@ -87,16 +90,30 @@ func (p *NodeProvider) Plan(ctx *generate.GenerateContext) error {
 		plan.NewStepInput(miseStep.Name(), plan.InputOptions{
 			Include: miseStep.GetOutputPaths(),
 		}),
-		plan.NewStepInput(prune.Name(), plan.InputOptions{
-			Include: []string{"/app/node_modules"}, // we only wanted the pruned node_modules
-		}),
-		plan.NewStepInput(build.Name(), plan.InputOptions{
-			Include: buildIncludeDirs,
-			Exclude: []string{"node_modules"},
-		}),
-		plan.NewLocalInput("."),
 	}
 
+	if p.shouldPrune(ctx) {
+		// If we are pruning, we want to grab the pruned node_modules
+		// and ignore the node_modules from the install/build steps
+		ctx.Deploy.Inputs = append(ctx.Deploy.Inputs,
+			plan.NewStepInput(prune.Name(), plan.InputOptions{
+				Include: []string{"/app/node_modules"},
+			}),
+			plan.NewStepInput(build.Name(), plan.InputOptions{
+				Include: buildIncludeDirs,
+				Exclude: []string{"node_modules"},
+			}),
+		)
+	} else {
+		ctx.Deploy.Inputs = append(ctx.Deploy.Inputs,
+			plan.NewStepInput(build.Name(), plan.InputOptions{
+				Include: buildIncludeDirs,
+			}),
+		)
+	}
+
+	ctx.Deploy.Inputs = append(ctx.Deploy.Inputs, plan.NewLocalInput("."))
+
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -135,11 +152,11 @@ func (p *NodeProvider) Build(ctx *generate.GenerateContext, build *generate.Comm
 	}
 }
 
-func (p *NodeProvider) PruneNodeDeps(ctx *generate.GenerateContext, prune *generate.CommandStepBuilder) {
-	if ctx.Env.IsConfigVariableTruthy("NO_PRUNE") {
-		return
-	}
+func (p *NodeProvider) shouldPrune(ctx *generate.GenerateContext) bool {
+	return ctx.Env.IsConfigVariableTruthy("PRUNE_DEPS")
+}
 
+func (p *NodeProvider) PruneNodeDeps(ctx *generate.GenerateContext, prune *generate.CommandStepBuilder) {
 	prune.Variables["NPM_CONFIG_PRODUCTION"] = "true"
 	prune.Secrets = []string{}
 	p.packageManager.PruneDeps(ctx, prune)
diff --git a/examples/node-npm/test.json b/examples/node-npm/test.json
index f089f73..8ab3463 100644
--- a/examples/node-npm/test.json
+++ b/examples/node-npm/test.json
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 [
   {
-    "expectedOutput": "hello from Node v23.5.0"
+    "expectedOutput": "hello from Node v23.5.0",
+    "envs": {
+      "RAILPACK_PRUNE_DEPS": "true"
+    }
   }
 ]