diff --git a/weaver/sdks/besu/node/package-local.json b/weaver/sdks/besu/node/package-local.json
index 51a842fc11..f704f23858 100644
--- a/weaver/sdks/besu/node/package-local.json
+++ b/weaver/sdks/besu/node/package-local.json
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
   "dependencies": {
     "@hyperledger/cacti-weaver-protos-js": "file:./protos-js",
     "log4js": "^6.7.0",
-    "web3": "^1.8.1"
+    "web3": "^1.10.0"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@types/node": "^14.0.14",
diff --git a/weaver/sdks/besu/node/package.json b/weaver/sdks/besu/node/package.json
index 04da3444c8..b2aa740bb6 100644
--- a/weaver/sdks/besu/node/package.json
+++ b/weaver/sdks/besu/node/package.json
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
   "dependencies": {
     "@hyperledger/cacti-weaver-protos-js": "2.0.0-alpha.1",
     "log4js": "^6.7.0",
-    "web3": "1.5.2"
+    "web3": "1.10.0"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@types/node": "^14.0.14",
diff --git a/weaver/tests/network-setups/besu/.gitignore b/weaver/tests/network-setups/besu/.gitignore
index 0b549c947e..29c1de9b4e 100644
--- a/weaver/tests/network-setups/besu/.gitignore
+++ b/weaver/tests/network-setups/besu/.gitignore
@@ -1,2 +1,4 @@
 SampleBesuNetwork1
 SampleBesuNetwork2
+package-lock.json
+node_modules
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/weaver/tests/network-setups/besu/Makefile b/weaver/tests/network-setups/besu/Makefile
index ed3f574911..8dbf26660d 100644
--- a/weaver/tests/network-setups/besu/Makefile
+++ b/weaver/tests/network-setups/besu/Makefile
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 start: start-network1 start-network2
 
-start-network1:
+npm-install:
+	npm install
+
+start-network1: npm-install
 	bash scripts/setupNetwork.sh 1
 
-start-network2:
+start-network2: npm-install
 	bash scripts/setupNetwork.sh 2
 
 test: test-network1 test-network2
@@ -23,6 +26,7 @@ clean-network1:
 	tmux kill-session -t Network1_Node3_session || true
 	tmux kill-session -t Network1_Node4_session || true
 	rm -rf SampleBesuNetwork1/
+	rm -rf node_modules
 
 clean-network2:
 	tmux kill-session -t Network2_EthSigner_session || true
@@ -31,3 +35,4 @@ clean-network2:
 	tmux kill-session -t Network2_Node3_session || true
 	tmux kill-session -t Network2_Node4_session || true
 	rm -rf SampleBesuNetwork2/
+	rm -rf node_modules
diff --git a/weaver/tests/network-setups/besu/package.json b/weaver/tests/network-setups/besu/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..792b2ead6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/weaver/tests/network-setups/besu/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+{
+  "name": "besu-testnet",
+  "version": "1.0.0",
+  "main": "index.js",
+  "private": true,
+  "scripts": {
+    "test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1"
+  },
+  "repository": {
+    "type": "git",
+    "url": "git+https://github.com/hyperledger/cacti.git"
+  },
+  "author": "",
+  "license": "Apache-2.0",
+  "bugs": {
+    "url": "https://github.com/hyperledger/cacti/issues"
+  },
+  "homepage": "https://github.com/hyperledger/cacti#readme",
+  "dependencies": {
+    "web3": "^1.10.0"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/weaver/tests/network-setups/besu/scripts/setupEthSigner.sh b/weaver/tests/network-setups/besu/scripts/setupEthSigner.sh
index 9e6d58f4a2..fce4eedb68 100644
--- a/weaver/tests/network-setups/besu/scripts/setupEthSigner.sh
+++ b/weaver/tests/network-setups/besu/scripts/setupEthSigner.sh
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ touch keys/keyFile_${Node}
 # Without this, the npm install will fail because of conflicting dependency versions
 # that cannot be resolved properly unless "forced" (tested on Ubuntu 22.04)
 # FIXME: Eliminate the need to do an npm install out-of-bounds like this entirely.
-npm install --force web3
+# npm install --force web3
 node createKeyFile.js > keys/keyFile_${Node}
 rm createKeyFile.js
 cp ../artifacts/account.toml keys/