diff --git a/.scripts/build.js b/.scripts/build.js
index c8202cae00..f161231622 100644
--- a/.scripts/build.js
+++ b/.scripts/build.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ const Listr = require('listr');
 async function main() {
   const tasks = [];
   common.packages.forEach(package => {
-    common.preparePackage(tasks, package);
+    common.preparePackage(tasks, package, false, false);
   });
 
   const listr = new Listr(tasks, { showSubtasks: true });
diff --git a/.scripts/common.js b/.scripts/common.js
index 09832ddadd..1a1302e1a7 100644
--- a/.scripts/common.js
+++ b/.scripts/common.js
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ function checkGit(tasks) {
 const isValidVersion = input => Boolean(semver.valid(input));
 
 
-function preparePackage(tasks, package, version) {
+function preparePackage(tasks, package, version, install) {
   const projectRoot = projectPath(package);
   const pkg = readPkg(package);
 
@@ -78,13 +78,15 @@ function preparePackage(tasks, package, version) {
         }
       }
     });
-    projectTasks.push({
-      title: `${pkg.name}: install npm dependencies`,
-      task: async () => {
-        await fs.remove(path.join(projectRoot, 'node_modules'))
-        await execa('npm', ['i'], { cwd: projectRoot });
-      }
-    });
+    if (install) {
+      projectTasks.push({
+        title: `${pkg.name}: install npm dependencies`,
+        task: async () => {
+          await fs.remove(path.join(projectRoot, 'node_modules'))
+          await execa('npm', ['i'], { cwd: projectRoot });
+        }
+      });
+    }
   }
 
   if (package !== 'docs') {
diff --git a/.scripts/prepare.js b/.scripts/prepare.js
index 6111b1e424..a657d6b8f8 100644
--- a/.scripts/prepare.js
+++ b/.scripts/prepare.js
@@ -18,9 +18,10 @@ async function main() {
     }
 
     const version = await askVersion();
+    const install = process.argv.indexOf('--no-install') < 0;
 
     // compile and verify packages
-    await preparePackages(common.packages, version);
+    await preparePackages(common.packages, version, install);
 
     console.log(`\nionic ${version} prepared 🤖\n`);
     console.log(`Next steps:`);