diff --git a/src/cli/tools/node/index.spec.ts b/src/cli/tools/node/index.spec.ts
index 11fd0ef3fb..5007af3894 100644
--- a/src/cli/tools/node/index.spec.ts
+++ b/src/cli/tools/node/index.spec.ts
@@ -400,12 +400,20 @@ describe('cli/tools/node/index', () => {
 
   describe('NodePrepareService', () => {
     test('initialize and prepare', async () => {
+      // CI configures an apt proxy, which `AptService` would write to `/etc`
+      vi.stubEnv('APT_HTTP_PROXY', undefined);
       const { svc, child } = await toolContext(NodePrepareService);
       const pathSvc = await child.getAsync(PathService);
       const envSvc = await child.getAsync(EnvService);
 
       await expect(svc.prepare()).resolves.toBeUndefined();
 
+      expect(execaMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        'apt-get',
+        expect.arrayContaining(['libatomic1']),
+        { env: { DEBIAN_FRONTEND: 'noninteractive' } },
+      );
+
       const env = await fs.readFile(
         join(pathSvc.toolPath('node'), 'env.sh'),
         'utf8',
diff --git a/src/cli/tools/node/index.ts b/src/cli/tools/node/index.ts
index e877d834e0..f2333f532d 100644
--- a/src/cli/tools/node/index.ts
+++ b/src/cli/tools/node/index.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 import fs from 'node:fs/promises';
 import { join } from 'node:path';
 import { env as penv } from 'node:process';
-import { injectFromHierarchy, injectable } from 'inversify';
+import { inject, injectFromHierarchy, injectable } from 'inversify';
 import { BasePrepareService } from '../../prepare-tool/base-prepare.service.ts';
+import { AptService } from '../../services/index.ts';
 import { fileContent, parse } from '../../utils/index.ts';
 import {
   NodeBaseInstallService,
@@ -13,10 +14,18 @@ import {
 @injectable()
 @injectFromHierarchy()
 export class NodePrepareService extends BasePrepareService {
+  @inject(AptService)
+  private readonly aptSvc!: AptService;
+
   override name = 'node';
 
-  /** Initializes the cache and links the user's npm and yarn folders to it. */
+  /**
+   * Installs `libatomic1`, which the official node 26.13.0+ binaries need,
+   * then initializes the cache and links the user's npm and yarn folders to it.
+   */
   override async prepare(): Promise<void> {
+    // https://github.com/nodejs/node/issues/60790
+    await this.aptSvc.install('libatomic1');
     await this.initialize();
     await prepareSymlinks(this.envSvc, this.pathSvc);
   }
diff --git a/test/node/Dockerfile b/test/node/Dockerfile
index b56d354f9a..81c255c665 100644
--- a/test/node/Dockerfile
+++ b/test/node/Dockerfile
@@ -917,6 +917,10 @@ FROM build AS test-vp
 
 USER root
 
+# pin the node vp's setup downloads, it uses the latest lts otherwise
+# renovate: datasource=github-releases packageName=containerbase/node-prebuild versioning=node
+ARG VP_SETUP_NODE_VERSION=24.22.1
+
 # renovate: datasource=github-releases depName=vp packageName=voidzero-dev/vite-plus
 ARG VP_VERSION=1.4.0
 RUN install-tool vp "${VP_VERSION}"
diff --git a/test/node/Dockerfile.arm64 b/test/node/Dockerfile.arm64
index 44dd3152d1..f3fa71e765 100644
--- a/test/node/Dockerfile.arm64
+++ b/test/node/Dockerfile.arm64
@@ -85,6 +85,10 @@ RUN install-tool renovate 44.181.8
 #--------------------------------------
 FROM test-node AS test-vp
 
+# pin the node vp's setup downloads, it uses the latest lts otherwise
+# renovate: datasource=github-releases packageName=containerbase/node-prebuild versioning=node
+ARG VP_SETUP_NODE_VERSION=24.22.1
+
 # renovate: datasource=github-releases depName=vp packageName=voidzero-dev/vite-plus
 ARG VP_VERSION=1.4.0
 RUN install-tool vp "${VP_VERSION}"