diff --git a/www/lessc/Makefile b/www/lessc/Makefile
index 4ec068c7e940..0a50113dd4af 100644
--- a/www/lessc/Makefile
+++ b/www/lessc/Makefile
@@ -14,14 +14,26 @@ LICENSE=	APACHE20
 BUILD_DEPENDS=	npm>=0:www/npm
 RUN_DEPENDS=	npm>=0:www/npm
 
-NO_BUILD=	yes
 USE_GITHUB=	yes
 GH_ACCOUNT=	less
 GH_PROJECT=	less.js
 
+# npm install both builds and installs.  To avoid building in the stage phase,
+# allow npm to install in a temporary directory and move from there.
+# Moreover, only a fraction of what is installed by npm needs to be packaged
+do-build:
+	${MKDIR} ${WRKDIR}/build-lib
+	(cd ${WRKDIR}/build-lib && \
+		${SETENV} HOME=${WRKDIR} npm install ${WRKSRC})
+
 do-install:
-	(cd ${STAGEDIR}${PREFIX}/lib ; ${SETENV} HOME=${WRKDIR} npm install ${WRKSRC})
-	# this is a dirty hack
-	${LN} -s ${PREFIX}/lib/node_modules/.bin/lessc ${STAGEDIR}${PREFIX}/bin/lessc
+	${MKDIR} ${STAGEDIR}${PREFIX}/bin \
+		${STAGEDIR}${PREFIX}/lib/node_modules/.bin
+	${MV} ${WRKDIR}/build-lib/node_modules/less \
+		${STAGEDIR}${PREFIX}/lib/node_modules
+	${MV} ${WRKDIR}/build-lib/node_modules/.bin/lessc \
+		${STAGEDIR}${PREFIX}/lib/node_modules/.bin
+	(cd ${STAGEDIR}${PREFIX}/bin && \
+		${LN} -s ../lib/node_modules/.bin/lessc lessc)
 
 .include <bsd.port.mk>