diff --git a/.changeset/new-ads-relax.md b/.changeset/new-ads-relax.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..766aaee643
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/new-ads-relax.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@pnpm/global-bin-dir": patch
+---
+
+A directory is considered a valid global executable directory for pnpm, if it contains a node, or npm, or pnpm executable, not directory.
diff --git a/packages/global-bin-dir/src/index.ts b/packages/global-bin-dir/src/index.ts
index 8ce1740ba7..9fdd206e0b 100644
--- a/packages/global-bin-dir/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/global-bin-dir/src/index.ts
@@ -61,8 +61,9 @@ const NODE_RELATED_COMMANDS = new Set(['pnpm', 'npm', 'node'])
 
 function dirHasNodeRelatedCommand (dir: string) {
   try {
-    const files = fs.readdirSync(dir)
-    return files.map((file) => file.toLowerCase())
+    return fs.readdirSync(dir, { withFileTypes: true })
+      .filter((entry) => entry.isFile())
+      .map(({ name }) => name.toLowerCase())
       .some((file) => NODE_RELATED_COMMANDS.has(file.split('.')[0]))
   } catch (err) {
     return false
diff --git a/packages/global-bin-dir/test/index.ts b/packages/global-bin-dir/test/index.ts
index 6c9f84f9fc..60d2a13008 100644
--- a/packages/global-bin-dir/test/index.ts
+++ b/packages/global-bin-dir/test/index.ts
@@ -12,9 +12,17 @@ const makePath =
     : (...paths: string[]) => `/${path.join(...paths)}`
 
 let canWriteToDir!: typeof _canWriteToDir
-let readdirSync = (dir: string) => [] as string[]
+let readdirSync = (dir: string) => [] as Array<{ name: string, isFile: () => boolean }>
 const FAKE_PATH = 'FAKE_PATH'
 
+function makeFileEntry (name: string) {
+  return { name, isFile: () => true }
+}
+
+function makeDirEntry (name: string) {
+  return { name, isFile: () => false }
+}
+
 const globalBinDir = proxiquire('../lib/index.js', {
   'can-write-to-dir': {
     sync: (dir: string) => canWriteToDir(dir),
@@ -152,13 +160,31 @@ test('select a directory that has a node command in it', (t) => {
   ].join(path.delimiter)
 
   canWriteToDir = () => true
-  readdirSync = (dir) => dir === dir2 ? ['node'] : []
+  readdirSync = (dir) => dir === dir2 ? [makeFileEntry('node')] : []
   t.equal(globalBinDir(), dir2)
 
   process.env[FAKE_PATH] = pathEnv
   t.end()
 })
 
+test('do not select a directory that has a node directory in it', (t) => {
+  const dir1 = makePath('foo')
+  const dir2 = makePath('bar')
+  const pathEnv = process.env[FAKE_PATH]
+  process.env[FAKE_PATH] = [
+    dir1,
+    dir2,
+  ].join(path.delimiter)
+
+  canWriteToDir = () => true
+  readdirSync = (dir) => dir === dir2 ? [makeDirEntry('node')] : []
+
+  t.throws(() => globalBinDir(), /Couldn't find a suitable/)
+
+  process.env[FAKE_PATH] = pathEnv
+  t.end()
+})
+
 test('select a directory that has a node.bat command in it', (t) => {
   const dir1 = makePath('foo')
   const dir2 = makePath('bar')
@@ -169,7 +195,7 @@ test('select a directory that has a node.bat command in it', (t) => {
   ].join(path.delimiter)
 
   canWriteToDir = () => true
-  readdirSync = (dir) => dir === dir2 ? ['node.bat'] : []
+  readdirSync = (dir) => dir === dir2 ? [makeFileEntry('node.bat')] : []
   t.equal(globalBinDir(), dir2)
 
   process.env[FAKE_PATH] = pathEnv