diff --git a/tools/pip.sh b/tools/pip.sh
index a0b02c955a..cf2d0f5e5a 100644
--- a/tools/pip.sh
+++ b/tools/pip.sh
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@ if [[ ! $(command -v yarn) ]]
 then
     pip install nodeenv
     # Initialize nodeenv and tell it to re-use the currently active virtualenv
-    nodeenv --python-virtualenv
+    # TODO(jeblair): remove node version pin.  upath 1.0.4 objects to node >9.
+    nodeenv --python-virtualenv -n 8.11.1
     # Use -g because inside of the virtualenv '-g' means 'install into the'
     # virtualenv - as opposed to installing into the local node_modules.
     # Avoid writing a package-lock.json file since we don't use it.