diff --git a/roles/upload-npm/tasks/main.yaml b/roles/upload-npm/tasks/main.yaml
index 8fa53f2d4..133a769ba 100644
--- a/roles/upload-npm/tasks/main.yaml
+++ b/roles/upload-npm/tasks/main.yaml
@@ -20,4 +20,6 @@
       [ -s "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh" ] && . "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh" # This loads nvm
       nvm install node
       nvm use node
-      npm publish --ignore-scripts {{ zuul.executor.work_root }}/artifacts/{{ zuul.project.short_name }}-{{ project_ver }}.tar.gz
+      # Workaround for https://github.com/npm/npm/issues/16723
+      npm install npm@4
+      node_modules/.bin/npm publish --ignore-scripts {{ zuul.executor.work_root }}/artifacts/{{ zuul.project.short_name }}-{{ project_ver }}.tar.gz