diff --git a/src/bundler/ESBuildBundler.js b/src/bundler/ESBuildBundler.js
index e91aee91..c8c5a3c7 100644
--- a/src/bundler/ESBuildBundler.js
+++ b/src/bundler/ESBuildBundler.js
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@ export default class ESBuildBundler extends BaseBundler {
       ],
       banner: {
         js: [
-          'import { createRequire } from "module";',
-          'const require = createRequire(import.meta.url);',
+          'import { createRequire as hedyCreateRequire } from "module";',
+          'const require = hedyCreateRequire(import.meta.url);',
           '',
         ].join('\n'),
       },
@@ -74,10 +74,17 @@ export default class ESBuildBundler extends BaseBundler {
         name: 'alias-main',
         setup: (build) => {
           build.onResolve({ filter: /^\.\/main\.js$/ }, () => ({ path: cfg.file }));
-          // use @adobe/helix-universal in the calling service, not ours
           build.onResolve(
             { filter: /^@adobe\/helix-universal$/ },
-            (args) => ({ path: path.resolve(cfg.cwd, 'node_modules', args.path, 'src', 'index.js') }),
+            (args) => {
+              const cwd = (process.env.HELIX_DEPLOY_USE_LOCAL === 'true')
+                // for testing use "our" @adobe/helix-universal dependency
+                ? path.resolve(__dirname, '..', '..')
+                // for production use @adobe/helix-universal (and its dependencies)
+                // in the calling service
+                : cfg.cwd;
+              return { path: path.resolve(cwd, 'node_modules', args.path, 'src', 'index.js') };
+            },
           );
           cfg.externals.forEach((filter) => {
             build.onResolve({ filter }, (args) => ({ path: args.path, external: true }));
diff --git a/src/template/node-index.mjs b/src/template/node-index.mjs
index a52e0f65..d51a126d 100644
--- a/src/template/node-index.mjs
+++ b/src/template/node-index.mjs
@@ -22,4 +22,4 @@ export default {
   openwhisk,
   lambda,
   google,
-}
+};
diff --git a/test/build.test.js b/test/build.test.js
index c5e05294..d3e51ca5 100644
--- a/test/build.test.js
+++ b/test/build.test.js
@@ -167,4 +167,12 @@ describe('Build Test', () => {
   it('generates the bundle (esm, webpack) fails', async () => {
     await assert.rejects(generate(['--esm']), Error('Webpack bundler does not support ESM builds.'));
   }).timeout(5000);
+
+  it('generates the bundle (esm, esbuild)', async () => {
+    await generate(['--bundler=esbuild', '--esm'], PROJECT_SIMPLE_ESM);
+  });
+
+  it('generates the bundle (esbuild) fails', async () => {
+    await assert.rejects(generate(['--bundler=esbuild']), Error('ESBuild bundler only supports ESM builds.'));
+  });
 });
diff --git a/test/setup-env.js b/test/setup-env.js
index 9f025492..c769e835 100644
--- a/test/setup-env.js
+++ b/test/setup-env.js
@@ -9,12 +9,13 @@
  * OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the specific language
  * governing permissions and limitations under the License.
  */
-// eslint-disable-next-line no-console
 import path from 'path';
 import { fileURLToPath } from 'url';
 
+// eslint-disable-next-line no-console
 console.log('Forcing HTTP/1.1 for @adobe/fetch');
 process.env.HELIX_FETCH_FORCE_HTTP1 = 'true';
+process.env.HELIX_DEPLOY_USE_LOCAL = 'true';
 
 // eslint-disable-next-line no-underscore-dangle
 global.__rootdir = path.resolve(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url), '..', '..');