diff --git a/scripts/lib/recipetool/create.py b/scripts/lib/recipetool/create.py
index 439dca0fcc..5af58a12f7 100644
--- a/scripts/lib/recipetool/create.py
+++ b/scripts/lib/recipetool/create.py
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@ class RecipeHandler(object):
     recipecmakefilemap = {}
     recipebinmap = {}
 
+    def __init__(self):
+        self._devtool = False
+
     @staticmethod
     def load_libmap(d):
         '''Load library->recipe mapping'''
@@ -622,6 +625,7 @@ def create_recipe(args):
     handlers.sort(key=lambda item: (item[1], -item[2]), reverse=True)
     for handler, priority, _ in handlers:
         logger.debug('Handler: %s (priority %d)' % (handler.__class__.__name__, priority))
+        setattr(handler, '_devtool', args.devtool)
     handlers = [item[0] for item in handlers]
 
     # Apply the handlers
diff --git a/scripts/lib/recipetool/create_npm.py b/scripts/lib/recipetool/create_npm.py
index a79a9afbb1..cb8f338b8b 100644
--- a/scripts/lib/recipetool/create_npm.py
+++ b/scripts/lib/recipetool/create_npm.py
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ class NpmRecipeHandler(RecipeHandler):
         files = RecipeHandler.checkfiles(srctree, ['package.json'])
         if files:
             d = bb.data.createCopy(tinfoil.config_data)
-            npm_bindir = check_npm(tinfoil)
+            npm_bindir = check_npm(tinfoil, self._devtool)
             d.prependVar('PATH', '%s:' % npm_bindir)
 
             data = read_package_json(files[0])