diff --git a/tools/jenkins/docker_run_tests.sh b/tools/jenkins/docker_run_tests.sh
index 26e5585d2d8..12874386a3c 100755
--- a/tools/jenkins/docker_run_tests.sh
+++ b/tools/jenkins/docker_run_tests.sh
@@ -43,8 +43,6 @@ chown `whoami` $XDG_CACHE_HOME
 mkdir -p /var/local/git
 git clone --recursive /var/local/jenkins/grpc /var/local/git/grpc
 
-nvm use 0.12 || true
-
 if [ -x "$(command -v rvm)" ]
 then
   rvm use ruby-2.1
diff --git a/tools/run_tests/build_node.sh b/tools/run_tests/build_node.sh
index 8f2ab4413a2..9c4af071856 100755
--- a/tools/run_tests/build_node.sh
+++ b/tools/run_tests/build_node.sh
@@ -29,8 +29,12 @@
 # (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
 # OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 
+NODE_VERSION=$1
+source ~/.nvm/nvm.sh
 set -ex
 
+nvm use $NODE_VERSION
+
 CONFIG=${CONFIG:-opt}
 
 # change to grpc repo root
diff --git a/tools/run_tests/pre_build_node.sh b/tools/run_tests/pre_build_node.sh
index 28ce354f276..40213b859ad 100755
--- a/tools/run_tests/pre_build_node.sh
+++ b/tools/run_tests/pre_build_node.sh
@@ -29,8 +29,12 @@
 # (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
 # OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 
+NODE_VERSION=$1
+source ~/.nvm/nvm.sh
 set -ex
 
+nvm use $NODE_VERSION
+
 export GRPC_CONFIG=${CONFIG:-opt}
 
 # Expire cache after 1 week
diff --git a/tools/run_tests/run_node.sh b/tools/run_tests/run_node.sh
index f93c9c30cbe..40f61d77cc9 100755
--- a/tools/run_tests/run_node.sh
+++ b/tools/run_tests/run_node.sh
@@ -28,8 +28,12 @@
 # (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
 # OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 
+NODE_VERSION=$1
+source ~/.nvm/nvm.sh
 set -ex
 
+nvm use $NODE_VERSION
+
 CONFIG=${CONFIG:-opt}
 
 # change to grpc repo root
diff --git a/tools/run_tests/run_tests.py b/tools/run_tests/run_tests.py
index 9e7b97c6a21..6dfdc705bec 100755
--- a/tools/run_tests/run_tests.py
+++ b/tools/run_tests/run_tests.py
@@ -194,13 +194,17 @@ class CLanguage(object):
 
 class NodeLanguage(object):
 
+  def __init__(self):
+    self.node_version = '0.12'
+
   def test_specs(self, config, args):
-    return [config.job_spec(['tools/run_tests/run_node.sh'], None,
+    return [config.job_spec(['tools/run_tests/run_node.sh', self.node_version],
+                            None,
                             environ=_FORCE_ENVIRON_FOR_WRAPPERS)]
 
   def pre_build_steps(self):
     # Default to 1 week cache expiration
-    return [['tools/run_tests/pre_build_node.sh']]
+    return [['tools/run_tests/pre_build_node.sh', self.node_version]]
 
   def make_targets(self, test_regex):
     return []
@@ -209,7 +213,7 @@ class NodeLanguage(object):
     return []
 
   def build_steps(self):
-    return [['tools/run_tests/build_node.sh']]
+    return [['tools/run_tests/build_node.sh', self.node_version]]
 
   def post_tests_steps(self):
     return []