diff --git a/packages/npms.sls b/packages/npms.sls
index f57a7a0..6315965 100644
--- a/packages/npms.sls
+++ b/packages/npms.sls
@@ -14,7 +14,12 @@ include:
   {% endfor %}
 {% endif %}
 
-### REQ PKGS (without these, some of the WANTED PIPS will fail to install)
+# As we depend on npm installed, if this state file is invoked every time
+# if will fail with 'npm not found'. This condition makes sure it's run
+# only when explicitly asking for adding/removing npms
+{% if wanted_npms or unwanted_npms %}
+
+### REQ PKGS (without these, some of the WANTED NPMS will fail to install)
 npm_req_pkgs:
   pkg.installed:
     - pkgs: {{ req_pkgs | json }}
@@ -66,3 +71,5 @@ wanted_npms:
 {{ upn }}:
   npm.removed
 {% endfor %}
+
+{% endif %}
diff --git a/pillar.example b/pillar.example
index 9212648..17d1b4b 100644
--- a/pillar.example
+++ b/pillar.example
@@ -62,10 +62,10 @@ packages:
       - goodbye-world
 
   npms:
-    # dir: /home/kitchen/npms      # The target directory in which to install the package, or None for global installation
-    # user: kitchen                # The user to run NPM with (and to assign to `dir`)
-    # group: kitchen               # The group to assign to `dir`
-    # mode: 0755                 # The permissions to assign to `dir`
+    dir: /home/kitchen/npms      # The target directory in which to install the package, or None for global installation
+    user: kitchen                # The user to run NPM with (and to assign to `dir`)
+    group: kitchen               # The group to assign to `dir`
+    mode: 0755                 # The permissions to assign to `dir`
     # registry: None             # The NPM registry from which to install the package 
     # env: None                  # A list of environment variables to be set prior to execution
     # force_reinstall: False     # Install the package even if it is already installed
diff --git a/test/integration/default/npms_spec.rb b/test/integration/default/npms_spec.rb
index debcb46..829aed1 100644
--- a/test/integration/default/npms_spec.rb
+++ b/test/integration/default/npms_spec.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+## FIXME! inspec's npm resource fails to check correctly (sudo issues, path issues)
+## so I added some "poor man's checks" to ensure, at least, that npms are in place
+
+npms_path = '/home/kitchen/npms'
+
 wanted_npms = {
   'hello-world-npm': '1.1.1',
   'sax': '1.2.4',
@@ -13,12 +18,16 @@ control 'Wanted/Required npm packages' do
     os.name == 'debian'
   end
 
+  describe directory(npms_path) do
+    it { should exist }
+    its('owner') { should cmp 'kitchen' }
+    its('group') { should cmp 'kitchen' }
+    its('mode') { should cmp '0755' }
+  end
+
   wanted_npms.each do |p,v|
-    describe npm(p) do
-      it { should be_installed }
-      # FIXME! Testing for version is failing, seems an issue in inspec
-      # Same happens with testing path, as it performs a cd command and it fails when using sudo
-      # its('version') { should eq v }
+    describe directory("#{npms_path}/node_modules/#{p}") do
+      it { should exist }
     end
   end
 end