diff --git a/test/distrib/node/run_distrib_test.sh b/test/distrib/node/run_distrib_test.sh
index 9b8f15771b8..18b339399bb 100755
--- a/test/distrib/node/run_distrib_test.sh
+++ b/test/distrib/node/run_distrib_test.sh
@@ -30,11 +30,11 @@
 
 NODE_VERSION=$1
 source ~/.nvm/nvm.sh
-set -ex
 
 cd $(dirname $0)
 
 nvm install $NODE_VERSION
+set -ex
 
 npm install -g node-static
 
diff --git a/tools/run_tests/build_artifact_node.sh b/tools/run_tests/build_artifact_node.sh
index 6aa48245383..ef3476a0381 100755
--- a/tools/run_tests/build_artifact_node.sh
+++ b/tools/run_tests/build_artifact_node.sh
@@ -30,9 +30,9 @@
 
 NODE_TARGET_ARCH=$1
 source ~/.nvm/nvm.sh
-set -ex
 
 nvm use 4
+set -ex
 
 cd $(dirname $0)/../..
 
diff --git a/tools/run_tests/build_node.sh b/tools/run_tests/build_node.sh
index 9c4af071856..cbe0e31d2eb 100755
--- a/tools/run_tests/build_node.sh
+++ b/tools/run_tests/build_node.sh
@@ -31,9 +31,9 @@
 
 NODE_VERSION=$1
 source ~/.nvm/nvm.sh
-set -ex
 
 nvm use $NODE_VERSION
+set -ex
 
 CONFIG=${CONFIG:-opt}
 
diff --git a/tools/run_tests/build_package_node.sh b/tools/run_tests/build_package_node.sh
index aca90a37500..540c8263117 100755
--- a/tools/run_tests/build_package_node.sh
+++ b/tools/run_tests/build_package_node.sh
@@ -29,9 +29,9 @@
 # OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 
 source ~/.nvm/nvm.sh
-set -ex
 
 nvm use 4
+set -ex
 
 cd $(dirname $0)/../..
 
diff --git a/tools/run_tests/pre_build_node.sh b/tools/run_tests/pre_build_node.sh
index 11f46d60fc2..1f55df0b7bc 100755
--- a/tools/run_tests/pre_build_node.sh
+++ b/tools/run_tests/pre_build_node.sh
@@ -31,9 +31,9 @@
 
 NODE_VERSION=$1
 source ~/.nvm/nvm.sh
-set -ex
 
 nvm use $NODE_VERSION
+set -ex
 
 export GRPC_CONFIG=${CONFIG:-opt}
 
diff --git a/tools/run_tests/run_node.sh b/tools/run_tests/run_node.sh
index d33890068dd..b94dc3ec628 100755
--- a/tools/run_tests/run_node.sh
+++ b/tools/run_tests/run_node.sh
@@ -30,9 +30,9 @@
 
 NODE_VERSION=$1
 source ~/.nvm/nvm.sh
-set -ex
 
 nvm use $NODE_VERSION
+set -ex
 
 CONFIG=${CONFIG:-opt}