diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 975efc96866009..5e2388d5fe4eec 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -64,13 +64,18 @@ endif
 # to check for changes.
 .PHONY: $(NODE_EXE) $(NODE_G_EXE)
 
+# The -r/-L check stops it recreating the link if it is already in place,
+# otherwise $(NODE_EXE) being a .PHONY target means it is always re-run.
+# Without the check there is a race condition between the link being deleted
+# and recreated which can break the addons build when running test-ci
+# See comments on the build-addons target for some more info
 $(NODE_EXE): config.gypi out/Makefile
 	$(MAKE) -C out BUILDTYPE=Release V=$(V)
-	ln -fs out/Release/$(NODE_EXE) $@
+	if [ ! -r $(NODE_EXE) -o ! -L $(NODE_EXE) ]; then ln -fs out/Release/$(NODE_EXE) $@; fi
 
 $(NODE_G_EXE): config.gypi out/Makefile
 	$(MAKE) -C out BUILDTYPE=Debug V=$(V)
-	ln -fs out/Debug/$(NODE_EXE) $@
+	if [ ! -r $(NODE_EXE) -o ! -L $(node_EXE) ]; then ln -fs out/Debug/$(NODE_EXE) $@; fi
 
 out/Makefile: common.gypi deps/uv/uv.gyp deps/http_parser/http_parser.gyp \
               deps/zlib/zlib.gyp deps/v8/gypfiles/toolchain.gypi \