diff --git a/packages/@n8n/ai-utilities/vite.config.ts b/packages/@n8n/ai-utilities/vite.config.ts
index 3c8935d2fb1..26dfc1d669e 100644
--- a/packages/@n8n/ai-utilities/vite.config.ts
+++ b/packages/@n8n/ai-utilities/vite.config.ts
@@ -16,13 +16,12 @@ export default mergeConfig(
 				// Workspace deps CJS-require zod while tests ESM-import it, so
 				// `schema instanceof ZodSchema` in src/converters/tool.ts fails across the
 				// two. Pin the top-level `zod` import to the CJS file so both share one
-				// module instance. Subpaths like `zod/v4` keep their normal resolution.
+				// module instance. `require.resolve` follows zod's `require` export condition,
+				// so it tracks the installed (catalog) version automatically. Subpaths like
+				// `zod/v4` keep their normal resolution.
 				{
 					find: /^zod$/,
-					replacement: path.resolve(
-						__dirname,
-						'../../../node_modules/.pnpm/zod@3.25.67/node_modules/zod/dist/cjs/index.js',
-					),
+					replacement: require.resolve('zod'),
 				},
 			],
 		},
diff --git a/packages/@n8n/instance-ai/vite.config.ts b/packages/@n8n/instance-ai/vite.config.ts
index 4531a4f3d69..cba8540843e 100644
--- a/packages/@n8n/instance-ai/vite.config.ts
+++ b/packages/@n8n/instance-ai/vite.config.ts
@@ -50,13 +50,12 @@ export default mergeConfig(
 				// Workspace deps CJS-require zod while test files ESM-import it, so
 				// `instanceof` checks (e.g. in sanitize-mcp-schemas) fail across the two
 				// module instances. Pin the top-level `zod` import to the CJS file so all
-				// code paths share one instance. Subpaths like `zod/v4` resolve normally.
+				// code paths share one instance. `require.resolve` follows zod's `require`
+				// export condition, so it tracks the installed (catalog) version
+				// automatically. Subpaths like `zod/v4` resolve normally.
 				{
 					find: /^zod$/,
-					replacement: path.resolve(
-						__dirname,
-						'../../../node_modules/.pnpm/zod@3.25.67/node_modules/zod/dist/cjs/index.js',
-					),
+					replacement: require.resolve('zod'),
 				},
 			],
 		},
diff --git a/packages/@n8n/nodes-langchain/vite.config.ts b/packages/@n8n/nodes-langchain/vite.config.ts
index 1b7b43aa90e..2317ffae16c 100644
--- a/packages/@n8n/nodes-langchain/vite.config.ts
+++ b/packages/@n8n/nodes-langchain/vite.config.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,10 @@ export default mergeConfig(
 			alias: {
 				'@utils': path.resolve(__dirname, './utils'),
 				'@nodes-testing': path.resolve(__dirname, '../../core/nodes-testing'),
-				'n8n-workflow': path.resolve(__dirname, '../../workflow/dist/cjs/index.js'),
+				// Pin n8n-workflow to its CJS build so the single module instance is shared
+				// across CJS-required workspace deps and ESM-imported test code.
+				// `require.resolve` follows the `require` export condition (the CJS dist).
+				'n8n-workflow': require.resolve('n8n-workflow'),
 			},
 		},
 	}),
diff --git a/packages/core/vite.config.ts b/packages/core/vite.config.ts
index e7b3888edfb..3aa65505a45 100644
--- a/packages/core/vite.config.ts
+++ b/packages/core/vite.config.ts
@@ -16,14 +16,12 @@ export default mergeConfig(
 				// `./dist/cjs/index.js` for `require`) — two separate files with two separate
 				// `ZodType` classes. @n8n/config dist CJS-requires zod, test files ESM-import
 				// it, and `instanceof` fails between them. Pin the top-level `zod` import to the
-				// CJS file so both code paths share a single module instance. Subpaths like
-				// `zod/v4` keep their normal resolution.
+				// CJS file so both code paths share a single module instance. `require.resolve`
+				// follows zod's `require` export condition, so it tracks the installed (catalog)
+				// version automatically. Subpaths like `zod/v4` keep their normal resolution.
 				{
 					find: /^zod$/,
-					replacement: path.resolve(
-						__dirname,
-						'../../node_modules/.pnpm/zod@3.25.67/node_modules/zod/dist/cjs/index.js',
-					),
+					replacement: require.resolve('zod'),
 				},
 			],
 		},