diff --git a/.buildkite/hooks/pre-command b/.buildkite/hooks/pre-command
index e79add4..2702084 100755
--- a/.buildkite/hooks/pre-command
+++ b/.buildkite/hooks/pre-command
@@ -5,8 +5,6 @@
 
 set -euo pipefail
 
-if [[ -z "${NVM_BUILDKITE_PLUGIN_TEST_NVMRC_VERSION:-}" ]]; then
-    exit 0
+if [[ -n "${NVM_BUILDKITE_PLUGIN_TEST_NVMRC_VERSION:-}" ]]; then
+    printf '%s\n' "$NVM_BUILDKITE_PLUGIN_TEST_NVMRC_VERSION" > .nvmrc
 fi
-
-printf '%s\n' "$NVM_BUILDKITE_PLUGIN_TEST_NVMRC_VERSION" > .nvmrc
diff --git a/.buildkite/pipeline.yml b/.buildkite/pipeline.yml
index a33e06d..3954e42 100644
--- a/.buildkite/pipeline.yml
+++ b/.buildkite/pipeline.yml
@@ -27,6 +27,12 @@ steps:
 
   - label: ":windows: :node: Validate {{ matrix.node }} on Windows"
     command: bash .buildkite/verify_node.sh {{ matrix.node }}
+    env:
+      # nvm v0.39.4 hangs on the Windows agent when no .nvmrc exists in the
+      # working directory: its ancestor walk for one loops forever under the
+      # agent's bash. The version property below still drives the install; this
+      # .nvmrc only exists to short-circuit that walk.
+      NVM_BUILDKITE_PLUGIN_TEST_NVMRC_VERSION: "{{ matrix.node }}"
     plugins:
       - automattic/nvm#${BUILDKITE_COMMIT}:
           version: "{{ matrix.node }}"