diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yaml b/.github/workflows/build.yaml
index 73cf7117d..7fefaeb21 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yaml
@@ -50,11 +50,11 @@ jobs:
           files: |
             docs/**
 
-      - name: Install Node.js v18
+      - name: Install Node.js
         if: steps.changed-files.outputs.any_changed == 'true'
         uses: actions/setup-node@v4
         with:
-          node-version: "18"
+          node-version-file: .node-version
           cache: "yarn"
 
       - name: Install doctoc
@@ -115,11 +115,11 @@ jobs:
           files_ignore: |
             lib/vscode/**
 
-      - name: Install Node.js v18
+      - name: Install Node.js
         if: steps.changed-files.outputs.any_changed == 'true'
         uses: actions/setup-node@v4
         with:
-          node-version: "18"
+          node-version-file: .node-version
 
       - name: Fetch dependencies from cache
         if: steps.changed-files.outputs.any_changed == 'true'
@@ -170,11 +170,11 @@ jobs:
           files_ignore: |
             lib/vscode/**
 
-      - name: Install Node.js v18
+      - name: Install Node.js
         if: steps.changed-files.outputs.any_changed == 'true'
         uses: actions/setup-node@v4
         with:
-          node-version: "18"
+          node-version-file: .node-version
 
       - name: Fetch dependencies from cache
         if: steps.changed-files.outputs.any_changed == 'true'
@@ -224,10 +224,10 @@ jobs:
       - name: Patch Code
         run: quilt push -a
 
-      - name: Install Node.js v18
+      - name: Install Node.js
         uses: actions/setup-node@v4
         with:
-          node-version: "18"
+          node-version-file: .node-version
 
       - name: Fetch dependencies from cache
         id: cache-node-modules
@@ -298,10 +298,10 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install system dependencies
         run: sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y libkrb5-dev
 
-      - name: Install Node.js v18
+      - name: Install Node.js
         uses: actions/setup-node@v4
         with:
-          node-version: "18"
+          node-version-file: .node-version
 
       - name: Fetch dependencies from cache
         id: cache-node-modules
@@ -357,10 +357,10 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install system dependencies
         run: sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y libkrb5-dev
 
-      - name: Install Node.js v18
+      - name: Install Node.js
         uses: actions/setup-node@v4
         with:
-          node-version: "18"
+          node-version-file: .node-version
 
       - name: Fetch dependencies from cache
         id: cache-node-modules
diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish.yaml b/.github/workflows/publish.yaml
index ab3572735..68b342fe7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish.yaml
@@ -29,10 +29,10 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout code-server
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
-      - name: Install Node.js v18
+      - name: Install Node.js
         uses: actions/setup-node@v4
         with:
-          node-version: "18"
+          node-version-file: .node-version
           cache: "yarn"
 
       - name: Download npm package from release artifacts
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yaml b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
index 3e63efa71..5fea41484 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yaml
@@ -35,10 +35,10 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout repo
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
-      - name: Install Node.js v18
+      - name: Install Node.js
         uses: actions/setup-node@v4
         with:
-          node-version: "18.15.0"
+          node-version-file: .node-version
 
       - name: Install development tools
         run: |
@@ -128,7 +128,6 @@ jobs:
       PKG_CONFIG_PATH: ${{ format('/usr/lib/{0}/pkgconfig', matrix.prefix) }}
       TARGET_ARCH: ${{ matrix.apt_arch }}
       npm_config_arch: ${{ matrix.npm_arch }}
-      NODE_VERSION: v18.15.0
       # Not building from source results in an x86_64 argon2, as if
       # npm_config_arch is being ignored.
       npm_config_build_from_source: true
@@ -137,10 +136,10 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout repo
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
-      - name: Install Node.js v18
+      - name: Install Node.js
         uses: actions/setup-node@v4
         with:
-          node-version: "18.15.0"
+          node-version-file: .node-version
 
       - name: Install cross-compiler and system dependencies
         run: |
@@ -174,8 +173,9 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Replace node with cross-compile equivalent
         run: |
-          wget https://nodejs.org/dist/${NODE_VERSION}/node-${NODE_VERSION}-linux-${npm_config_arch}.tar.xz
-          tar -xf node-${NODE_VERSION}-linux-${npm_config_arch}.tar.xz node-${NODE_VERSION}-linux-${npm_config_arch}/bin/node --strip-components=2
+          node_version=$(node --version)
+          wget https://nodejs.org/dist/${node_version}/node-${node_version}-linux-${npm_config_arch}.tar.xz
+          tar -xf node-${node_version}-linux-${npm_config_arch}.tar.xz node-${node_version}-linux-${npm_config_arch}/bin/node --strip-components=2
           mv ./node ./release-standalone/lib/node
 
       # NOTE@jsjoeio - we do this so we can strip out the v
@@ -205,10 +205,10 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout repo
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
-      - name: Install Node.js v18
+      - name: Install Node.js
         uses: actions/setup-node@v4
         with:
-          node-version: "18.15.0"
+          node-version-file: .node-version
 
       - name: Install nfpm
         run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/security.yaml b/.github/workflows/security.yaml
index 3f9f5e191..9e052b570 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/security.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/security.yaml
@@ -29,10 +29,10 @@ jobs:
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
 
-      - name: Install Node.js v18
+      - name: Install Node.js
         uses: actions/setup-node@v4
         with:
-          node-version: "18"
+          node-version-file: .node-version
 
       - name: Audit yarn for vulnerabilities
         run: yarn audit
diff --git a/.node-version b/.node-version
index 3c032078a..55bffd620 100644
--- a/.node-version
+++ b/.node-version
@@ -1 +1 @@
-18
+18.15.0