diff --git a/test/externalTests/colony.sh b/test/externalTests/colony.sh
index 43b452ec4..33526f58e 100755
--- a/test/externalTests/colony.sh
+++ b/test/externalTests/colony.sh
@@ -41,8 +41,7 @@ function colony_test
     setup_solcjs "$DIR" "$SOLJSON"
     download_project "$repo" "$branch" "$DIR"
 
-    replace_version_pragmas
-    force_truffle_solc_modules "$SOLJSON"
+    neutralize_package_json_hooks
     force_truffle_compiler_settings "$config_file" "${DIR}/solc" "$min_optimizer_level"
     yarn
     git submodule update --init
diff --git a/test/externalTests/common.sh b/test/externalTests/common.sh
index 038036159..cee846a5b 100644
--- a/test/externalTests/common.sh
+++ b/test/externalTests/common.sh
@@ -104,6 +104,14 @@ function neutralize_package_lock
     rm --force --verbose package-lock.json
 }
 
+function neutralize_package_json_hooks
+{
+    printLog "Disabling package.json hooks..."
+    [[ -f package.json ]] || fail "package.json not found"
+    sed -i 's|"prepublish": *".*"|"prepublish": ""|g' package.json
+    sed -i 's|"prepare": *".*"|"prepare": ""|g' package.json
+}
+
 function force_truffle_solc_modules
 {
     local soljson="$1"
diff --git a/test/externalTests/ens.sh b/test/externalTests/ens.sh
index de49e1ee3..5ec630658 100755
--- a/test/externalTests/ens.sh
+++ b/test/externalTests/ens.sh
@@ -45,8 +45,7 @@ function ens_test
     force_truffle_version ^5.1.55
 
     neutralize_package_lock
-    replace_version_pragmas
-    force_truffle_solc_modules "$SOLJSON"
+    neutralize_package_json_hooks
     force_truffle_compiler_settings "$config_file" "${DIR}/solc" "$min_optimizer_level"
     npm install
 
diff --git a/test/externalTests/gnosis-v2.sh b/test/externalTests/gnosis-v2.sh
index 6e9c5e02b..e8593aa61 100755
--- a/test/externalTests/gnosis-v2.sh
+++ b/test/externalTests/gnosis-v2.sh
@@ -46,8 +46,7 @@ function gnosis_safe_test
     sed -i -E 's|"@gnosis.pm/util-contracts": "[^"]+"|"@gnosis.pm/util-contracts": "github:solidity-external-tests/util-contracts#solc-7_080"|g' package.json
 
     neutralize_package_lock
-    replace_version_pragmas
-    force_truffle_solc_modules "$SOLJSON"
+    neutralize_package_json_hooks
     force_truffle_compiler_settings "$config_file" "${DIR}/solc" "$min_optimizer_level"
     npm install --package-lock
 
diff --git a/test/externalTests/gnosis.sh b/test/externalTests/gnosis.sh
index 5730b3495..95a1ecd49 100755
--- a/test/externalTests/gnosis.sh
+++ b/test/externalTests/gnosis.sh
@@ -44,8 +44,7 @@ function gnosis_safe_test
     sed -i 's|github:gnosis/mock-contract#sol_0_5_0|github:solidity-external-tests/mock-contract#master_080|g' package.json
 
     neutralize_package_lock
-    replace_version_pragmas
-    force_truffle_solc_modules "$SOLJSON"
+    neutralize_package_json_hooks
     force_truffle_compiler_settings "$config_file" "${DIR}/solc" "$min_optimizer_level"
     npm install --package-lock
 
diff --git a/test/externalTests/zeppelin.sh b/test/externalTests/zeppelin.sh
index f665c9d62..750be3229 100755
--- a/test/externalTests/zeppelin.sh
+++ b/test/externalTests/zeppelin.sh
@@ -41,8 +41,7 @@ function zeppelin_test
     setup_solcjs "$DIR" "$SOLJSON"
     download_project "$repo" "$branch" "$DIR"
 
-    replace_version_pragmas
-    force_truffle_solc_modules "$SOLJSON"
+    neutralize_package_json_hooks
     force_truffle_compiler_settings "$config_file" "${DIR}/solc" "$min_optimizer_level"
     npm install