diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 298df45..1f1675f 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -40,9 +40,11 @@ test -n "$NODE" || AC_MSG_ERROR([missing Node.js])
 
 AC_MSG_CHECKING([node version])
 node_version=$($NODE --version | sed 's/^v//')
-AC_SUBST([NODE_VERSION], [$node_version])
 AC_MSG_RESULT([$NODE_VERSION])
 
+AC_ARG_VAR([TS_NODE_VERSION], [Version to use for @types/node dependency])
+TS_NODE_VERSION=${TS_NODE_VERSION:-$node_version}
+
 # graphviz
 AC_ARG_VAR([TWOPI], [Graphviz twopi layout])
 AC_CHECK_PROGS(TWOPI, [twopi])
diff --git a/package.json.in b/package.json.in
index dfa48bf..c0db61e 100644
--- a/package.json.in
+++ b/package.json.in
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "typescript":              "~3.7",
-    "@types/node":             "@NODE_VERSION@",
+    "@types/node":             "@TS_NODE_VERSION@",
     "chai":                    ">=1.9.1 < 4",
     "@types/chai":             ">=1.9.1 < 4",
     "chai-as-promised":        "7.1.0",