diff --git a/repo2docker/buildpacks/base.py b/repo2docker/buildpacks/base.py
index 2194070a..4df7686a 100644
--- a/repo2docker/buildpacks/base.py
+++ b/repo2docker/buildpacks/base.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ RUN adduser --disabled-password \
 WORKDIR ${HOME}
 
 RUN wget --quiet -O - https://deb.nodesource.com/gpgkey/nodesource.gpg.key |  apt-key add - && \
-    DISTRO="$(lsb_release -s -c)" && \
+    DISTRO="bionic" && \
     echo "deb https://deb.nodesource.com/node_10.x $DISTRO main" >> /etc/apt/sources.list.d/nodesource.list && \
     echo "deb-src https://deb.nodesource.com/node_10.x $DISTRO main" >> /etc/apt/sources.list.d/nodesource.list
 
diff --git a/tests/base/node10/verify b/tests/base/node10/verify
index eea765bb..2a203796 100755
--- a/tests/base/node10/verify
+++ b/tests/base/node10/verify
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
 set -e
+which node
 node --version | grep v10
-npm --version | grep v6.2
+which npm
+npm --version | grep 6.2