diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 9212edb..46dfffc 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -35,8 +35,10 @@ RUN git clone 'https://github.com/isaacs/nave.git' /code/nave && /code/nave/nave
 # add global install dir to $NODE_PATH
 ENV NODE_PATH="/usr/local/lib/node_modules:$NODE_PATH"
 
+# node version is so old it requires an older version of npm
+# https://stackoverflow.com/a/77024158
 # ensure NPM is up to date
-RUN npm install -g npm
+# RUN npm install -g npm
 
 # get ready for pelias config with an empty file
 ENV PELIAS_CONFIG '/code/pelias.json'