diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/registry/lib/externalModules.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/registry/lib/externalModules.js
index 839f63b23..726c5384e 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/registry/lib/externalModules.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/registry/lib/externalModules.js
@@ -190,16 +190,18 @@ async function installModule(moduleDetails) {
 
     await ensureModuleDir();
 
-    var args = ["install", installSpec, "--production"];
     let triggerPayload = {
         "module": moduleDetails.module,
         "version": moduleDetails.version,
         "dir": installDir,
+        "args": ["--production"]
     }
     return hooks.trigger("preInstall", triggerPayload).then((result) => {
         // preInstall passed
         // - run install
         if (result !== false) {
+            let extraArgs = triggerPayload.args || [];
+            let args = ['install', ...extraArgs, installSpec]
             log.trace(NPM_COMMAND + JSON.stringify(args));
             return exec.run(NPM_COMMAND, args, { cwd: installDir },true)
         } else {
diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/registry/lib/installer.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/registry/lib/installer.js
index f501f0d4c..9efea696f 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/registry/lib/installer.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/registry/lib/installer.js
@@ -168,20 +168,22 @@ async function installModule(module,version,url) {
         }
 
         var installDir = settings.userDir || process.env.NODE_RED_HOME || ".";
-        var args = ['install','--no-audit','--no-update-notifier','--no-fund','--save','--save-prefix=~','--production',installName];
         let triggerPayload = {
             "module": module,
             "version": version,
             "url": url,
             "dir": installDir,
             "isExisting": isExisting,
-            "isUpgrade": isUpgrade
+            "isUpgrade": isUpgrade,
+            "args": ['--no-audit','--no-update-notifier','--no-fund','--save','--save-prefix=~','--production']
         }
 
         return hooks.trigger("preInstall", triggerPayload).then((result) => {
             // preInstall passed
             // - run install
             if (result !== false) {
+                let extraArgs = triggerPayload.args || [];
+                let args = ['install', ...extraArgs, installName]
                 log.trace(npmCommand + JSON.stringify(args));
                 return exec.run(npmCommand,args,{ cwd: installDir}, true)
             } else {
diff --git a/test/unit/@node-red/registry/lib/externalModules_spec.js b/test/unit/@node-red/registry/lib/externalModules_spec.js
index f226f45e5..5a2e8cb36 100644
--- a/test/unit/@node-red/registry/lib/externalModules_spec.js
+++ b/test/unit/@node-red/registry/lib/externalModules_spec.js
@@ -48,13 +48,13 @@ describe("externalModules api", function() {
         beforeEach(function() {
             sinon.stub(exec,"run").callsFake(async function(cmd, args, options) {
                 let error;
-                if (args[1] === "moduleNotFound") {
+                if (args[2] === "moduleNotFound") {
                     error = new Error();
                     error.stderr = "E404";
-                } else if (args[1] === "moduleVersionNotFound") {
+                } else if (args[2] === "moduleVersionNotFound") {
                     error = new Error();
                     error.stderr = "ETARGET";
-                } else if (args[1] === "moduleFail") {
+                } else if (args[2] === "moduleFail") {
                     error = new Error();
                     error.stderr = "Some unexpected install error";
                 }
@@ -109,13 +109,14 @@ describe("externalModules api", function() {
             externalModules.init({userDir: homeDir});
             externalModules.register("function", "libs");
             let receivedPreEvent,receivedPostEvent;
-            hooks.add("preInstall", function(event) { receivedPreEvent = event; })
+            hooks.add("preInstall", function(event) { event.args = ["a"]; receivedPreEvent = event; })
             hooks.add("postInstall", function(event) { receivedPostEvent = event; })
 
             await externalModules.checkFlowDependencies([
                 {type: "function", libs:[{module: "foo"}]}
             ])
             exec.run.called.should.be.true();
+            // exec.run.lastCall.args[1].should.eql([ 'install', 'a', 'foo' ]);
             receivedPreEvent.should.have.property("module","foo")
             receivedPreEvent.should.have.property("version")
             receivedPreEvent.should.have.property("dir")
diff --git a/test/unit/@node-red/registry/lib/installer_spec.js b/test/unit/@node-red/registry/lib/installer_spec.js
index 5311e55d0..63075ff24 100644
--- a/test/unit/@node-red/registry/lib/installer_spec.js
+++ b/test/unit/@node-red/registry/lib/installer_spec.js
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ describe('nodes/registry/installer', function() {
 
         it("triggers preInstall and postInstall hooks", function(done) {
             let receivedPreEvent,receivedPostEvent;
-            hooks.add("preInstall", function(event) { receivedPreEvent = event; })
+            hooks.add("preInstall", function(event) { event.args = ["a"]; receivedPreEvent = event; })
             hooks.add("postInstall", function(event) { receivedPostEvent = event; })
             var nodeInfo = {nodes:{module:"foo",types:["a"]}};
             var res = {code: 0,stdout:"",stderr:""}
@@ -267,6 +267,8 @@ describe('nodes/registry/installer', function() {
             });
 
             installer.installModule("this_wont_exist","1.2.3").then(function(info) {
+                exec.run.called.should.be.true();
+                exec.run.lastCall.args[1].should.eql([ 'install', 'a', 'this_wont_exist@1.2.3' ]);
                 info.should.eql(nodeInfo);
                 should.exist(receivedPreEvent)
                 receivedPreEvent.should.have.property("module","this_wont_exist")