diff --git a/.github/workflows/node-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/node-ci.yml
index 3be3144..342341f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/node-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/node-ci.yml
@@ -109,12 +109,16 @@ jobs:
         with:
           bun-version: ${{ inputs.bun-version }}
 
-      - if: ${{ inputs.package-manager != 'bun' }}
-        uses: actions/setup-node@53b83947a5a98c8d113130e565377fae1a50d02f  # v6.3.0
+      # Runs for EVERY package manager, bun included. bun is the PM/runtime, but
+      # native and postinstall deps (sharp, cypress, …) spawn `node` during
+      # `bun install`, so a modern Node must be on PATH regardless — otherwise
+      # a runner whose system `node` is old (common on self-hosted) crashes the
+      # install. No npm/yarn/pnpm cache for bun; bun manages its own store.
+      - uses: actions/setup-node@53b83947a5a98c8d113130e565377fae1a50d02f  # v6.3.0
         with:
           node-version: ${{ inputs.node-version }}
-          cache: ${{ inputs.package-manager == 'yarn' && 'yarn' || inputs.package-manager == 'pnpm' && 'pnpm' || 'npm' }}
-          cache-dependency-path: ${{ inputs.cache-dependency-path }}
+          cache: ${{ inputs.package-manager == 'yarn' && 'yarn' || inputs.package-manager == 'pnpm' && 'pnpm' || inputs.package-manager == 'npm' && 'npm' || '' }}
+          cache-dependency-path: ${{ inputs.package-manager == 'bun' && '' || inputs.cache-dependency-path }}
 
       - name: Install
         env: