diff --git a/esbuild.config.cjs b/esbuild.config.cjs
index f5687bb..4e252dd 100644
--- a/esbuild.config.cjs
+++ b/esbuild.config.cjs
@@ -2,6 +2,18 @@ const fs = require('fs')
 
 const esbuild = require('esbuild')
 
+// XXX taken from https://github.com/evanw/esbuild/issues/619#issuecomment-751995294
+// XXX   `plugins: [makeAllPackagesExternalPlugin]` were supposed to be superceeded by
+// XXX   `external: ['./node_modules/*']` but...
+// XXX ... we're blocked by what seems to be https://github.com/evanw/esbuild/issues/1958
+const makeAllPackagesExternalPlugin = {
+  name: 'make-all-packages-external',
+  setup: (build) => {
+    const filter = /^[^./]|^\.[^./]|^\.\.[^/]/ // Must not start with "/" or "./" or "../"
+    build.onResolve({ filter }, (arguments_) => ({ external: true, path: arguments_.path }))
+  }
+}
+
 const catcher = (error) => {
   console.error(error)
   // eslint-disable-next-line unicorn/no-process-exit
@@ -22,7 +34,7 @@ const builder = (entryPoints, outdir = 'dist', platform = targets.Node) =>
       sourcemap: true,
       sourcesContent: false,
       ...(platform === targets.Node
-        ? { external: ['./node_modules/*'], target: 'node14' }
+        ? { plugins: [makeAllPackagesExternalPlugin], target: 'node14' }
         : {
             inject: ['src/ui/react-shim.ts'],
             jsxFactory: 'h',