diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index 16bdd5b317e..ca6713bb587 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ jobs:
   build:
     docker:
       # specify the version you desire here
-      - image: circleci/node:7.10
+      - image: circleci/node:8.9.0
       
       # Specify service dependencies here if necessary
       # CircleCI maintains a library of pre-built images
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 21e02ebee7f..4b52e7d3f09 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ module.exports = {
 }
 ```
 
-Or for Babel 6 and/or Node v8.6.0 and less:
+Or for Babel 6:
 ```javascript
             // you must manually install and specify the presets and plugins yourself
             options: {
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ prebid.requestBids({
     $ cd Prebid.js
     $ npm install
 
-*Note:* You need to have `NodeJS` 6.x or greater installed.
+*Note:* You need to have `NodeJS` 8.9.x or greater installed.
 
 *Note:* In the 1.24.0 release of Prebid.js we have transitioned to using gulp 4.0 from using gulp 3.9.1.  To compily with gulp's recommended setup for 4.0, you'll need to have `gulp-cli` installed globally prior to running the general `npm install`.  This shouldn't impact any other projects you may work on that use an earlier version of gulp in it's setup.
 
diff --git a/gulpHelpers.js b/gulpHelpers.js
index 3814bd8f554..84f01b4e966 100644
--- a/gulpHelpers.js
+++ b/gulpHelpers.js
@@ -91,7 +91,10 @@ module.exports = {
     }
     return Object.assign(externalModules.reduce((memo, module) => {
       try {
-        var modulePath = require.resolve(module);
+        // prefer internal project modules before looking at project dependencies
+        var modulePath = require.resolve(module, {paths: ['./modules']});
+        if (modulePath === '') modulePath = require.resolve(module);
+
         memo[modulePath] = module;
       } catch (err) {
         // do something
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index ee90af7522f..bbdbf5437e8 100755
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
   "author": "the prebid.js contributors",
   "license": "Apache-2.0",
   "engines": {
-    "node": ">=4.0"
+    "node": ">=8.9.0"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@babel/core": "^7.2.2",