diff --git a/test/installation_node/install on bash with ERR trap and set -E b/test/installation_node/install on bash with ERR trap and set -E
index edfad0c6..aa8e1abd 100755
--- a/test/installation_node/install on bash with ERR trap and set -E	
+++ b/test/installation_node/install on bash with ERR trap and set -E	
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@ ERR_TRAP_EXPECTED="$(trap -p ERR)"
 # Adding ` || die 'install failed'` implicitly disables error handling and
 # prevents ERR trap execution, so for the purposes of this test, `nvm install`
 # can't be part of another command or statement
-nvm install node
+VERSION=9 # an end-of-life major, so that a new node release can't change what this installs
+nvm install "${VERSION}"
 
 case "$-" in
 *E*)
diff --git a/test/slow/nvm exec/Running 'nvm exec --lts' should work b/test/slow/nvm exec/Running 'nvm exec --lts' should work
index 1be7c61f..63449922 100755
--- a/test/slow/nvm exec/Running 'nvm exec --lts' should work	
+++ b/test/slow/nvm exec/Running 'nvm exec --lts' should work	
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ die () { echo "$@" ; exit 1; }
 
 \. ../../../nvm.sh
 
-nvm install --lts || die 'nvm install --lts failed'
+nvm use --lts || die 'nvm use --lts failed'
 
 NPM_VERSION_LTS="$(npm --version)"
 TEST_STRING="foo bar"
diff --git a/test/slow/nvm exec/setup_dir b/test/slow/nvm exec/setup_dir
index 79217427..d96517de 100755
--- a/test/slow/nvm exec/setup_dir	
+++ b/test/slow/nvm exec/setup_dir	
@@ -3,7 +3,11 @@
 \. ../../../nvm.sh
 nvm install 0.10.7
 nvm install 1.0.0
-nvm install --lts
+nvm install 18.20.8
+
+# pin `lts/*` to an end-of-life LTS line, so that a new LTS release can't change what `--lts` selects
+cp "$(nvm_alias_path)/lts/*" "${NVM_DIR}/.nvm_exec_lts_alias_bak"
+nvm_make_alias 'lts/*' lts/hydrogen
 
 if [ -f ".nvmrc" ]; then
   mv .nvmrc .nvmrc.bak
diff --git a/test/slow/nvm exec/teardown_dir b/test/slow/nvm exec/teardown_dir
index b16b4169..7a83df2d 100755
--- a/test/slow/nvm exec/teardown_dir	
+++ b/test/slow/nvm exec/teardown_dir	
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@
 nvm deactivate
 nvm uninstall v0.10.7
 nvm uninstall v1.0.0
-nvm uninstall --lts
+nvm uninstall v18.20.8
+mv "${NVM_DIR}/.nvm_exec_lts_alias_bak" "$(nvm_alias_path)/lts/*"
 
 rm .nvmrc
 
diff --git a/test/slow/nvm run/setup_dir b/test/slow/nvm run/setup_dir
index 0fde4d4b..7c5aeeee 100755
--- a/test/slow/nvm run/setup_dir	
+++ b/test/slow/nvm run/setup_dir	
@@ -4,7 +4,11 @@
 
 nvm install 0.10.7
 nvm install --lts=argon
-nvm install --lts
+nvm install 18.20.8
+
+# pin `lts/*` to an end-of-life LTS line, so that a new LTS release can't change what `--lts` selects
+cp "$(nvm_alias_path)/lts/*" "${NVM_DIR}/.nvm_run_lts_alias_bak"
+nvm_make_alias 'lts/*' lts/hydrogen
 
 if [ -f ".nvmrc" ]; then
   mv .nvmrc .nvmrc.bak
diff --git a/test/slow/nvm run/teardown_dir b/test/slow/nvm run/teardown_dir
index 53e2838a..e69cf40b 100755
--- a/test/slow/nvm run/teardown_dir	
+++ b/test/slow/nvm run/teardown_dir	
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@
 nvm deactivate
 nvm uninstall v0.10.7
 nvm uninstall --lts=argon
-nvm uninstall --lts
+nvm uninstall v18.20.8
+mv "${NVM_DIR}/.nvm_run_lts_alias_bak" "$(nvm_alias_path)/lts/*"
 
 rm .nvmrc