diff --git a/packages/cli/src/CommunityNodes/helpers.ts b/packages/cli/src/CommunityNodes/helpers.ts
index 5fb30eb200..38544efdb5 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/CommunityNodes/helpers.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/CommunityNodes/helpers.ts
@@ -78,12 +78,6 @@ export const executeCommand = async (
 ): Promise<string> => {
 	const downloadFolder = UserSettings.getUserN8nFolderDowloadedNodesPath();
 
-	try {
-		await fsAccess(downloadFolder);
-	} catch (_) {
-		await fsMkdir(downloadFolder);
-	}
-
 	const execOptions = {
 		cwd: downloadFolder,
 		env: {
@@ -93,6 +87,15 @@ export const executeCommand = async (
 		},
 	};
 
+	try {
+		await fsAccess(downloadFolder);
+	} catch (_) {
+		await fsMkdir(downloadFolder);
+		// Also init the folder since some versions
+		// of npm complain if the folder is empty
+		await execAsync('npm init -y', execOptions);
+	}
+
 	try {
 		const commandResult = await execAsync(command, execOptions);