diff --git a/common/hugo/hugo.go b/common/hugo/hugo.go
index 03788083698..6e07f69c3b8 100644
--- a/common/hugo/hugo.go
+++ b/common/hugo/hugo.go
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ package hugo
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"html/template"
+	"os"
+
+	"github.com/gohugoio/hugo/config"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -69,3 +72,9 @@ func NewInfo(environment string) Info {
 		Environment: environment,
 	}
 }
+
+func GetExecEnviron(cfg config.Provider) []string {
+	env := os.Environ()
+	config.SetEnvVars(&env, "HUGO_ENVIRONMENT", cfg.GetString("environment"))
+	return env
+}
diff --git a/docs/content/en/hugo-pipes/babel.md b/docs/content/en/hugo-pipes/babel.md
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..e34faec4399
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/content/en/hugo-pipes/babel.md
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+---
+title: Babel
+description: Hugo Pipes can process JS files with Babel.
+date: 2019-03-21
+publishdate: 2019-03-21
+lastmod: 2019-03-21
+categories: [asset management]
+keywords: []
+menu:
+  docs:
+    parent: "pipes"
+    weight: 49
+weight: 49
+sections_weight: 49
+draft: false
+---
+
+Any JavaScript resource file can be transpiled to another JavaScript version using `resources.Babel` which takes for argument the resource object and an optional dict of options listed below. Babel uses the [babel cli](https://babeljs.io/docs/en/babel-cli).
+
+
+{{% note %}}
+Hugo Pipe's Babel requires the `@babel/cli` and `@babel/core` JavaScript packages to be installed in the project or globally (`npm install -g @babel/cli @babel/core`) along with any Babel plugin(s) or preset(s) used (e.g., `npm install @babel/preset-env --save-dev`).
+
+If you are using the Hugo Snap package, Babel and plugin(s) need to be installed locally within your Hugo site directory, e.g., `npm install @babel/cli @babel/core --save-dev` without the `-g` flag.
+{{% /note %}}
+
+### Options
+
+config [string]
+: Path to the Babel configuration file. Hugo will, by default, look for a `babel.config.js` in your project. More information on these configuration files can be found here: [babel configuration](https://babeljs.io/docs/en/configuration).
+
+minified [bool]
+: Save as much bytes as possible when printing
+
+noComments [bool]
+: Write comments to generated output (true by default)
+
+compact [bool]
+: Do not include superfluous whitespace characters and line terminators. Defaults to `auto` if not set.
+
+verbose [bool]
+: Log everything
+
+### Examples
+
+```go-html-template
+{{- $transpiled := resources.Get "scripts/main.js" | babel  -}}
+```
+
+Or with options:
+
+```go-html-template
+{{ $opts := dict "noComments" true }}
+{{- $transpiled := resources.Get "scripts/main.js" | babel $opts -}}
+```
diff --git a/docs/content/en/hugo-pipes/transformjs.md b/docs/content/en/hugo-pipes/transformjs.md
deleted file mode 100755
index 2a25946115c..00000000000
--- a/docs/content/en/hugo-pipes/transformjs.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,69 +0,0 @@
----
-title: TransformJS
-description: Hugo Pipes can process JS files with Babel.
-date: 2019-03-21
-publishdate: 2019-03-21
-lastmod: 2019-03-21
-categories: [asset management]
-keywords: []
-menu:
-  docs:
-    parent: "pipes"
-    weight: 75
-weight: 75
-sections_weight: 75
-draft: false
----
-
-Any JavaScript resource file can be transpiled to another JavaScript version using `resources.TransformJS` which takes for argument the resource object and a slice of options listed below. TransformJS uses the [babel cli](https://babeljs.io/docs/en/babel-cli).
-
-
-{{% note %}}
-Hugo Pipe's TranspileJS requires the `@babel/cli` and `@babel/core` JavaScript packages to be installed in the environment (`npm install -g @babel/cli @babel/core`) along with any Babel plugin(s) or preset(s) used (e.g., `npm install -g @babel/preset-env`).
-
-If you are using the Hugo Snap package, Babel and plugin(s) need to be installed locally within your Hugo site directory, e.g., `npm install @babel/cli @babel/core` without the `-g` flag.
-{{% /note %}}
-### Options
-
-config [string]
-: Path to the Babel configuration file
-
-_If no configuration file is used:_
-
-plugins [string]
-: Comma seperated string of Babel plugins to use
-
-presets [string]
-: Comma seperated string of Babel presets to use
-
-minified [bool]
-: Save as much bytes as possible when printing
-
-noComments [bool]
-: Write comments to generated output (true by default)
-
-compact [string]
-: Do not include superfluous whitespace characters and line terminators (true/false/auto)
-
-verbose [bool]
-: Log everything
-
-### Examples
-Without a `.babelrc` file, you can simply pass the options like so:
-```go-html-template
-{{- $transpileOpts := (dict "presets" "@babel/preset-env" "minified" true "noComments" true "compact" "true" ) -}}
-{{- $transpiled := resources.Get "scripts/main.js" | transpileJS $transpileOpts -}}
-```
-
-If you rather want to use a config file, you can leave out the options in the template.
-```go-html-template
-{{- $transpiled := resources.Get "scripts/main.js" | transpileJS $transpileOpts -}}
-```
-Then, you can either create a `.babelrc` in the root of your project, or your can create a `.babel.config.js`.
-More information on these configuration files can be found here: [babel configuration](https://babeljs.io/docs/en/configuration)
-
-Finally, you can also pass a custom file path to a config file like so:
-```go-html-template
-{{- $transpileOpts := (dict "config" "config/my-babel-config.js" ) -}}
-{{- $transpiled := resources.Get "scripts/main.js" | transpileJS $transpileOpts -}}
-```
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/hugolib/resource_chain_babel_test.go b/hugolib/resource_chain_babel_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c9ddb2140b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hugolib/resource_chain_babel_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+// Copyright 2020 The Hugo Authors. All rights reserved.
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+// http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package hugolib
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"runtime"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/gohugoio/hugo/htesting"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/viper"
+
+	qt "github.com/frankban/quicktest"
+
+	"github.com/gohugoio/hugo/hugofs"
+
+	"github.com/gohugoio/hugo/common/loggers"
+)
+
+func TestResourceChainBabel(t *testing.T) {
+	if !isCI() {
+		t.Skip("skip (relative) long running modules test when running locally")
+	}
+
+	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
+		t.Skip("skip npm test on Windows")
+	}
+
+	wd, _ := os.Getwd()
+	defer func() {
+		os.Chdir(wd)
+	}()
+
+	c := qt.New(t)
+
+	packageJSON := `{
+  "scripts": {},
+
+  "devDependencies": {
+    "@babel/cli": "7.8.4",
+    "@babel/core": "7.9.0",
+    "@babel/preset-env": "7.9.5"
+  }
+}
+`
+
+	babelConfig := `
+console.error("Hugo Environment:", process.env.HUGO_ENVIRONMENT );
+
+module.exports = {
+  presets: ["@babel/preset-env"],
+};
+
+`
+
+	js := `
+/* A Car */
+class Car {
+  constructor(brand) {
+    this.carname = brand;
+  }
+}
+`
+
+	workDir, clean, err := htesting.CreateTempDir(hugofs.Os, "hugo-test-babel")
+	c.Assert(err, qt.IsNil)
+	defer clean()
+
+	v := viper.New()
+	v.Set("workingDir", workDir)
+	v.Set("disableKinds", []string{"taxonomyTerm", "taxonomy", "page"})
+	b := newTestSitesBuilder(t).WithLogger(loggers.NewWarningLogger())
+
+	// Need to use OS fs for this.
+	b.Fs = hugofs.NewDefault(v)
+	b.WithWorkingDir(workDir)
+	b.WithViper(v)
+	b.WithContent("p1.md", "")
+
+	b.WithTemplates("index.html", `
+{{ $options := dict "noComments" true }}
+{{ $transpiled := resources.Get "js/main.js" | babel -}}
+Transpiled: {{ $transpiled.Content | safeJS }}
+
+`)
+
+	jsDir := filepath.Join(workDir, "assets", "js")
+	b.Assert(os.MkdirAll(jsDir, 0777), qt.IsNil)
+	b.WithSourceFile("assets/js/main.js", js)
+	b.WithSourceFile("package.json", packageJSON)
+	b.WithSourceFile("babel.config.js", babelConfig)
+
+	b.Assert(os.Chdir(workDir), qt.IsNil)
+	_, err = exec.Command("npm", "install").CombinedOutput()
+	b.Assert(err, qt.IsNil)
+
+	out, err := captureStderr(func() error {
+		return b.BuildE(BuildCfg{})
+
+	})
+	// Make sure Node sees this.
+	b.Assert(out, qt.Contains, "Hugo Environment: production")
+	b.Assert(err, qt.IsNil)
+
+	b.AssertFileContent("public/index.html", `
+var Car = function Car(brand) {
+ _classCallCheck(this, Car);
+
+ this.carname = brand;
+};
+`)
+
+}
diff --git a/resources/resource_transformers/transpilejs/transpilejs.go b/resources/resource_transformers/babel/babel.go
similarity index 87%
rename from resources/resource_transformers/transpilejs/transpilejs.go
rename to resources/resource_transformers/babel/babel.go
index b832f436b71..fc9650aa061 100644
--- a/resources/resource_transformers/transpilejs/transpilejs.go
+++ b/resources/resource_transformers/babel/babel.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// Copyright 2018 The Hugo Authors. All rights reserved.
+// Copyright 2020 The Hugo Authors. All rights reserved.
 //
 // Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 // you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -11,14 +11,16 @@
 // See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 // limitations under the License.
 
-package transpilejs
+package babel
 
 import (
 	"io"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"strconv"
 
+	"github.com/gohugoio/hugo/common/hugo"
 	"github.com/gohugoio/hugo/resources/internal"
 
 	"github.com/mitchellh/mapstructure"
@@ -32,14 +34,13 @@ import (
 
 // Options from https://babeljs.io/docs/en/options
 type Options struct {
-	Config     string //Custom path to config file
-	Plugins    string //Comma seperated string of plugins
-	Presets    string //Comma seperated string of presets
-	Minified   bool   //true/false
-	NoComments bool   //true/false
-	Compact    string //true/false/auto
-	Verbose    bool   //true/false
-	NoBabelrc  bool   //true/false
+	Config string // Custom path to config file
+
+	Minified   bool
+	NoComments bool
+	Compact    *bool
+	Verbose    bool
+	NoBabelrc  bool
 }
 
 func DecodeOptions(m map[string]interface{}) (opts Options, err error) {
@@ -52,20 +53,14 @@ func DecodeOptions(m map[string]interface{}) (opts Options, err error) {
 func (opts Options) toArgs() []string {
 	var args []string
 
-	if opts.Plugins != "" {
-		args = append(args, "--plugins="+opts.Plugins)
-	}
-	if opts.Presets != "" {
-		args = append(args, "--presets="+opts.Presets)
-	}
 	if opts.Minified {
 		args = append(args, "--minified")
 	}
 	if opts.NoComments {
 		args = append(args, "--no-comments")
 	}
-	if opts.Compact != "" {
-		args = append(args, "--compact="+opts.Compact)
+	if opts.Compact != nil {
+		args = append(args, "--compact="+strconv.FormatBool(*opts.Compact))
 	}
 	if opts.Verbose {
 		args = append(args, "--verbose")
@@ -103,7 +98,6 @@ func (t *babelTransformation) Key() internal.ResourceTransformationKey {
 // npm install -g @babel/preset-env
 // Instead of installing globally, you can also install everything as a dev-dependency (--save-dev instead of -g)
 func (t *babelTransformation) Transform(ctx *resources.ResourceTransformationCtx) error {
-
 	const localBabelPath = "node_modules/@babel/cli/bin/"
 	const binaryName = "babel.js"
 
@@ -164,6 +158,7 @@ func (t *babelTransformation) Transform(ctx *resources.ResourceTransformationCtx
 
 	cmd.Stdout = ctx.To
 	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
+	cmd.Env = hugo.GetExecEnviron(t.rs.Cfg)
 
 	stdin, err := cmd.StdinPipe()
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/resources/resource_transformers/postcss/postcss.go b/resources/resource_transformers/postcss/postcss.go
index 15cda898cd7..1f2e51fd8d8 100644
--- a/resources/resource_transformers/postcss/postcss.go
+++ b/resources/resource_transformers/postcss/postcss.go
@@ -25,9 +25,9 @@ import (
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 
-	"github.com/gohugoio/hugo/common/loggers"
+	"github.com/gohugoio/hugo/common/hugo"
 
-	"github.com/gohugoio/hugo/config"
+	"github.com/gohugoio/hugo/common/loggers"
 
 	"github.com/gohugoio/hugo/resources/internal"
 	"github.com/spf13/afero"
@@ -202,10 +202,7 @@ func (t *postcssTransformation) Transform(ctx *resources.ResourceTransformationC
 
 	cmd.Stdout = ctx.To
 	cmd.Stderr = io.MultiWriter(os.Stderr, &errBuf)
-	// TODO(bep) somehow generalize this to other external helpers that may need this.
-	env := os.Environ()
-	config.SetEnvVars(&env, "HUGO_ENVIRONMENT", t.rs.Cfg.GetString("environment"))
-	cmd.Env = env
+	cmd.Env = hugo.GetExecEnviron(t.rs.Cfg)
 
 	stdin, err := cmd.StdinPipe()
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/tpl/resources/init.go b/tpl/resources/init.go
index 10e8e531957..df83cb3bbfb 100644
--- a/tpl/resources/init.go
+++ b/tpl/resources/init.go
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@ func init() {
 			[][2]string{},
 		)
 
-		ns.AddMethodMapping(ctx.TranspileJS,
-			[]string{"transpileJS"},
+		ns.AddMethodMapping(ctx.Babel,
+			[]string{"babel"},
 			[][2]string{},
 		)
 
diff --git a/tpl/resources/resources.go b/tpl/resources/resources.go
index c256fa903d7..6625702ab26 100644
--- a/tpl/resources/resources.go
+++ b/tpl/resources/resources.go
@@ -29,12 +29,12 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/gohugoio/hugo/resources/resource_factories/bundler"
 	"github.com/gohugoio/hugo/resources/resource_factories/create"
+	"github.com/gohugoio/hugo/resources/resource_transformers/babel"
 	"github.com/gohugoio/hugo/resources/resource_transformers/integrity"
 	"github.com/gohugoio/hugo/resources/resource_transformers/minifier"
 	"github.com/gohugoio/hugo/resources/resource_transformers/postcss"
 	"github.com/gohugoio/hugo/resources/resource_transformers/templates"
 	"github.com/gohugoio/hugo/resources/resource_transformers/tocss/scss"
-	"github.com/gohugoio/hugo/resources/resource_transformers/transpilejs"
 	"github.com/spf13/cast"
 )
 
@@ -55,15 +55,15 @@ func New(deps *deps.Deps) (*Namespace, error) {
 	}
 
 	return &Namespace{
-		deps:              deps,
-		scssClient:        scssClient,
-		createClient:      create.New(deps.ResourceSpec),
-		bundlerClient:     bundler.New(deps.ResourceSpec),
-		integrityClient:   integrity.New(deps.ResourceSpec),
-		minifyClient:      minifyClient,
-		postcssClient:     postcss.New(deps.ResourceSpec),
-		templatesClient:   templates.New(deps.ResourceSpec, deps),
-		transpileJSClient: transpilejs.New(deps.ResourceSpec),
+		deps:            deps,
+		scssClient:      scssClient,
+		createClient:    create.New(deps.ResourceSpec),
+		bundlerClient:   bundler.New(deps.ResourceSpec),
+		integrityClient: integrity.New(deps.ResourceSpec),
+		minifyClient:    minifyClient,
+		postcssClient:   postcss.New(deps.ResourceSpec),
+		templatesClient: templates.New(deps.ResourceSpec, deps),
+		babelClient:     babel.New(deps.ResourceSpec),
 	}, nil
 }
 
@@ -71,14 +71,14 @@ func New(deps *deps.Deps) (*Namespace, error) {
 type Namespace struct {
 	deps *deps.Deps
 
-	createClient      *create.Client
-	bundlerClient     *bundler.Client
-	scssClient        *scss.Client
-	integrityClient   *integrity.Client
-	minifyClient      *minifier.Client
-	postcssClient     *postcss.Client
-	transpileJSClient *transpilejs.Client
-	templatesClient   *templates.Client
+	createClient    *create.Client
+	bundlerClient   *bundler.Client
+	scssClient      *scss.Client
+	integrityClient *integrity.Client
+	minifyClient    *minifier.Client
+	postcssClient   *postcss.Client
+	babelClient     *babel.Client
+	templatesClient *templates.Client
 }
 
 // Get locates the filename given in Hugo's assets filesystem
@@ -283,22 +283,22 @@ func (ns *Namespace) PostProcess(r resource.Resource) (postpub.PostPublishedReso
 
 }
 
-// TranspileJS processes the given Resource with Babel.
-func (ns *Namespace) TranspileJS(args ...interface{}) (resource.Resource, error) {
+// Babel processes the given Resource with Babel.
+func (ns *Namespace) Babel(args ...interface{}) (resource.Resource, error) {
 	r, m, err := ns.resolveArgs(args)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	var options transpilejs.Options
+	var options babel.Options
 	if m != nil {
-		options, err = transpilejs.DecodeOptions(m)
+		options, err = babel.DecodeOptions(m)
 
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 	}
 
-	return ns.transpileJSClient.Process(r, options)
+	return ns.babelClient.Process(r, options)
 
 }