diff --git a/extensions/npm/README.md b/extensions/npm/README.md
index 215ca927ff434a..acc7d9872389b9 100644
--- a/extensions/npm/README.md
+++ b/extensions/npm/README.md
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ The extension fetches data from <https://registry.npmjs.org> and <https://regist
 
 - `npm.autoDetect` - Enable detecting scripts as tasks, the default is `on`.
 - `npm.runSilent` - Run npm script with the `--silent` option, the default is `false`.
-- `npm.packageManager` - The package manager used to run the scripts: `auto`, `npm`, `yarn`, `pnpm` or `bun`. The default is `auto`, which detects your package manager based on files in your workspace.
+- `npm.packageManager` - The package manager used to install dependencies: `auto`, `npm`, `yarn`, `pnpm` or `bun`. The default is `auto`, which detects your package manager based on files in your workspace.
+- `npm.scriptRunner` - The script runner used to run the scripts: `auto`, `npm`, `yarn`, `pnpm` or `bun`. The default is `auto`, which detects your script runner based on files in your workspace.
 - `npm.exclude` - Glob patterns for folders that should be excluded from automatic script detection. The pattern is matched against the **absolute path** of the package.json. For example, to exclude all test folders use '&ast;&ast;/test/&ast;&ast;'.
 - `npm.enableScriptExplorer` - Enable an explorer view for npm scripts.
 - `npm.scriptExplorerAction` - The default click action: `open` or `run`, the default is `open`.
diff --git a/extensions/npm/package.json b/extensions/npm/package.json
index 545ce102ab5751..66657bd6e1219c 100644
--- a/extensions/npm/package.json
+++ b/extensions/npm/package.json
@@ -251,6 +251,26 @@
           "default": "auto",
           "description": "%config.npm.packageManager%"
         },
+        "npm.scriptRunner": {
+          "scope": "resource",
+          "type": "string",
+          "enum": [
+            "auto",
+            "npm",
+            "yarn",
+            "pnpm",
+            "bun"
+          ],
+          "enumDescriptions": [
+            "%config.npm.scriptRunner.auto%",
+            "%config.npm.scriptRunner.npm%",
+            "%config.npm.scriptRunner.yarn%",
+            "%config.npm.scriptRunner.pnpm%",
+            "%config.npm.scriptRunner.bun%"
+          ],
+          "default": "auto",
+          "description": "%config.npm.scriptRunner%"
+        },
         "npm.exclude": {
           "type": [
             "string",
diff --git a/extensions/npm/package.nls.json b/extensions/npm/package.nls.json
index ff8581bde17996..0cc238cde8a330 100644
--- a/extensions/npm/package.nls.json
+++ b/extensions/npm/package.nls.json
@@ -5,12 +5,18 @@
 	"virtualWorkspaces": "Functionality that requires running the 'npm' command is not available in virtual workspaces.",
 	"config.npm.autoDetect": "Controls whether npm scripts should be automatically detected.",
 	"config.npm.runSilent": "Run npm commands with the `--silent` option.",
-	"config.npm.packageManager": "The package manager used to run scripts.",
-	"config.npm.packageManager.npm": "Use npm as the package manager for running scripts.",
-	"config.npm.packageManager.yarn": "Use yarn as the package manager for running scripts.",
-	"config.npm.packageManager.pnpm": "Use pnpm as the package manager for running scripts.",
-	"config.npm.packageManager.bun": "Use bun as the package manager for running scripts.",
-	"config.npm.packageManager.auto": "Auto-detect which package manager to use for running scripts based on lock files and installed package managers.",
+	"config.npm.packageManager": "The package manager used to install dependencies.",
+	"config.npm.packageManager.npm": "Use npm as the package manager.",
+	"config.npm.packageManager.yarn": "Use yarn as the package manager.",
+	"config.npm.packageManager.pnpm": "Use pnpm as the package manager.",
+	"config.npm.packageManager.bun": "Use bun as the package manager.",
+	"config.npm.packageManager.auto": "Auto-detect which package manager to use based on lock files and installed package managers.",
+	"config.npm.scriptRunner": "The script runner used to run scripts.",
+	"config.npm.scriptRunner.npm": "Use npm as the script runner.",
+	"config.npm.scriptRunner.yarn": "Use yarn as the script runner.",
+	"config.npm.scriptRunner.pnpm": "Use pnpm as the script runner.",
+	"config.npm.scriptRunner.bun": "Use bun as the script runner.",
+	"config.npm.scriptRunner.auto": "Auto-detect which script runner to use based on lock files and installed package managers.",
 	"config.npm.exclude": "Configure glob patterns for folders that should be excluded from automatic script detection.",
 	"config.npm.enableScriptExplorer": "Enable an explorer view for npm scripts when there is no top-level 'package.json' file.",
 	"config.npm.scriptExplorerAction": "The default click action used in the NPM Scripts Explorer: `open` or `run`, the default is `open`.",
diff --git a/extensions/npm/src/npmMain.ts b/extensions/npm/src/npmMain.ts
index 60758c8cb6425c..caa16532f3fa5c 100644
--- a/extensions/npm/src/npmMain.ts
+++ b/extensions/npm/src/npmMain.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import * as vscode from 'vscode';
 import { addJSONProviders } from './features/jsonContributions';
 import { runSelectedScript, selectAndRunScriptFromFolder } from './commands';
 import { NpmScriptsTreeDataProvider } from './npmView';
-import { getPackageManager, invalidateTasksCache, NpmTaskProvider, hasPackageJson } from './tasks';
+import { getScriptRunner, getPackageManager, invalidateTasksCache, NpmTaskProvider, hasPackageJson } from './tasks';
 import { invalidateHoverScriptsCache, NpmScriptHoverProvider } from './scriptHover';
 import { NpmScriptLensProvider } from './npmScriptLens';
 import which from 'which';
@@ -63,9 +63,15 @@ export async function activate(context: vscode.ExtensionContext): Promise<void>
 	context.subscriptions.push(vscode.commands.registerCommand('npm.refresh', () => {
 		invalidateScriptCaches();
 	}));
+	context.subscriptions.push(vscode.commands.registerCommand('npm.scriptRunner', (args) => {
+		if (args instanceof vscode.Uri) {
+			return getScriptRunner(context, args, true);
+		}
+		return '';
+	}));
 	context.subscriptions.push(vscode.commands.registerCommand('npm.packageManager', (args) => {
 		if (args instanceof vscode.Uri) {
-			return getPackageManager(context, args);
+			return getPackageManager(context, args, true);
 		}
 		return '';
 	}));
diff --git a/extensions/npm/src/npmView.ts b/extensions/npm/src/npmView.ts
index 34113f4155326c..01f7ff0416ed7f 100644
--- a/extensions/npm/src/npmView.ts
+++ b/extensions/npm/src/npmView.ts
@@ -13,9 +13,10 @@ import {
 } from 'vscode';
 import { readScripts } from './readScripts';
 import {
-	createInstallationTask, getPackageManager, getTaskName, isAutoDetectionEnabled, isWorkspaceFolder, INpmTaskDefinition,
+	createInstallationTask, getTaskName, isAutoDetectionEnabled, isWorkspaceFolder, INpmTaskDefinition,
 	NpmTaskProvider,
 	startDebugging,
+	detectPackageManager,
 	ITaskWithLocation,
 	INSTALL_SCRIPT
 } from './tasks';
@@ -150,8 +151,8 @@ export class NpmScriptsTreeDataProvider implements TreeDataProvider<TreeItem> {
 	}
 
 	private async runScript(script: NpmScript) {
-		// Call getPackageManager to trigger the multiple lock files warning.
-		await getPackageManager(this.context, script.getFolder().uri);
+		// Call detectPackageManager to trigger the multiple lock files warning.
+		await detectPackageManager(this.context, script.getFolder().uri, true);
 		tasks.executeTask(script.task);
 	}
 
@@ -181,7 +182,7 @@ export class NpmScriptsTreeDataProvider implements TreeDataProvider<TreeItem> {
 		if (!uri) {
 			return;
 		}
-		const task = await createInstallationTask(await getPackageManager(this.context, selection.folder.workspaceFolder.uri, true), selection.folder.workspaceFolder, uri);
+		const task = await createInstallationTask(this.context, selection.folder.workspaceFolder, uri);
 		tasks.executeTask(task);
 	}
 
diff --git a/extensions/npm/src/scriptHover.ts b/extensions/npm/src/scriptHover.ts
index 46f076b517efb6..33f2346e815882 100644
--- a/extensions/npm/src/scriptHover.ts
+++ b/extensions/npm/src/scriptHover.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import {
 import { INpmScriptInfo, readScripts } from './readScripts';
 import {
 	createScriptRunnerTask,
-	getPackageManager, startDebugging
+	startDebugging
 } from './tasks';
 
 
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ export class NpmScriptHoverProvider implements HoverProvider {
 		const documentUri = args.documentUri;
 		const folder = workspace.getWorkspaceFolder(documentUri);
 		if (folder) {
-			const task = await createScriptRunnerTask(await getPackageManager(this.context, folder.uri), script, folder, documentUri);
+			const task = await createScriptRunnerTask(this.context, script, folder, documentUri);
 			await tasks.executeTask(task);
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/extensions/npm/src/tasks.ts b/extensions/npm/src/tasks.ts
index 8e3d65827b4803..44b38a1c5a9d81 100644
--- a/extensions/npm/src/tasks.ts
+++ b/extensions/npm/src/tasks.ts
@@ -72,9 +72,9 @@ export class NpmTaskProvider implements TaskProvider {
 				packageJsonUri = _task.scope.uri.with({ path: _task.scope.uri.path + '/package.json' });
 			}
 			if (kind.script === INSTALL_SCRIPT) {
-				return createInstallationTask(await getPackageManager(this.context, _task.scope.uri), _task.scope, packageJsonUri);
+				return createInstallationTask(this.context, _task.scope, packageJsonUri);
 			}
-			return createScriptRunnerTask(await getPackageManager(this.context, _task.scope.uri), kind.script, _task.scope, packageJsonUri);
+			return createScriptRunnerTask(this.context, kind.script, _task.scope, packageJsonUri);
 		}
 		return undefined;
 	}
@@ -125,27 +125,43 @@ export function isWorkspaceFolder(value: any): value is WorkspaceFolder {
 	return value && typeof value !== 'number';
 }
 
-export async function getPackageManager(extensionContext: ExtensionContext, folder: Uri, showWarning: boolean = true): Promise<string> {
-	let packageManagerName = workspace.getConfiguration('npm', folder).get<string>('packageManager', 'npm');
-
-	if (packageManagerName === 'auto') {
-		const { name, multipleLockFilesDetected: multiplePMDetected } = await findPreferredPM(folder.fsPath);
-		packageManagerName = name;
-		const neverShowWarning = 'npm.multiplePMWarning.neverShow';
-		if (showWarning && multiplePMDetected && !extensionContext.globalState.get<boolean>(neverShowWarning)) {
-			const multiplePMWarning = l10n.t('Using {0} as the preferred package manager. Found multiple lockfiles for {1}.  To resolve this issue, delete the lockfiles that don\'t match your preferred package manager or change the setting "npm.packageManager" to a value other than "auto".', packageManagerName, folder.fsPath);
-			const neverShowAgain = l10n.t("Do not show again");
-			const learnMore = l10n.t("Learn more");
-			window.showInformationMessage(multiplePMWarning, learnMore, neverShowAgain).then(result => {
-				switch (result) {
-					case neverShowAgain: extensionContext.globalState.update(neverShowWarning, true); break;
-					case learnMore: env.openExternal(Uri.parse('https://docs.npmjs.com/cli/v9/configuring-npm/package-lock-json'));
-				}
-			});
-		}
+export async function getScriptRunner(context: ExtensionContext, folder: Uri, showWarning: boolean): Promise<string> {
+	let scriptRunner = workspace.getConfiguration('npm', folder).get<string>('scriptRunner', 'npm');
+
+	if (scriptRunner === 'auto') {
+		scriptRunner = await detectPackageManager(context, folder, showWarning);
 	}
 
-	return packageManagerName;
+	return scriptRunner;
+}
+
+export async function getPackageManager(context: ExtensionContext, folder: Uri, showWarning: boolean): Promise<string> {
+	let packageManager = workspace.getConfiguration('npm', folder).get<string>('packageManager', 'npm');
+
+	if (packageManager === 'auto') {
+		packageManager = await detectPackageManager(context, folder, showWarning);
+	}
+
+	return packageManager;
+}
+
+export async function detectPackageManager(extensionContext: ExtensionContext, folder: Uri, showWarning: boolean): Promise<string> {
+	const { name, multipleLockFilesDetected: multiplePMDetected } = await findPreferredPM(folder.fsPath);
+	const neverShowWarning = 'npm.multiplePMWarning.neverShow';
+	if (showWarning && multiplePMDetected && !extensionContext.globalState.get<boolean>(neverShowWarning)) {
+		// todo: add text for npm.scriptRunner?
+		const multiplePMWarning = l10n.t('Using {0} as the preferred package manager. Found multiple lockfiles for {1}.  To resolve this issue, delete the lockfiles that don\'t match your preferred package manager or change the setting "npm.packageManager" to a value other than "auto".', name, folder.fsPath);
+		const neverShowAgain = l10n.t("Do not show again");
+		const learnMore = l10n.t("Learn more");
+		window.showInformationMessage(multiplePMWarning, learnMore, neverShowAgain).then(result => {
+			switch (result) {
+				case neverShowAgain: extensionContext.globalState.update(neverShowWarning, true); break;
+				case learnMore: env.openExternal(Uri.parse('https://docs.npmjs.com/cli/v9/configuring-npm/package-lock-json'));
+			}
+		});
+	}
+
+	return name;
 }
 
 export async function hasNpmScripts(): Promise<boolean> {
@@ -169,15 +185,13 @@ export async function hasNpmScripts(): Promise<boolean> {
 	}
 }
 
-async function detectNpmScripts(context: ExtensionContext, showWarning: boolean): Promise<ITaskWithLocation[]> {
+async function* findNpmPackages(): AsyncGenerator<Uri> {
 
-	const emptyTasks: ITaskWithLocation[] = [];
-	const allTasks: ITaskWithLocation[] = [];
 	const visitedPackageJsonFiles: Set<string> = new Set();
 
 	const folders = workspace.workspaceFolders;
 	if (!folders) {
-		return emptyTasks;
+		return;
 	}
 	try {
 		for (const folder of folders) {
@@ -186,14 +200,12 @@ async function detectNpmScripts(context: ExtensionContext, showWarning: boolean)
 				const paths = await workspace.findFiles(relativePattern, '**/{node_modules,.vscode-test}/**');
 				for (const path of paths) {
 					if (!isExcluded(folder, path) && !visitedPackageJsonFiles.has(path.fsPath)) {
-						const tasks = await provideNpmScriptsForFolder(context, path, showWarning);
+						yield path;
 						visitedPackageJsonFiles.add(path.fsPath);
-						allTasks.push(...tasks);
 					}
 				}
 			}
 		}
-		return allTasks;
 	} catch (error) {
 		return Promise.reject(error);
 	}
@@ -227,7 +239,12 @@ export async function detectNpmScriptsForFolder(context: ExtensionContext, folde
 
 export async function provideNpmScripts(context: ExtensionContext, showWarning: boolean): Promise<ITaskWithLocation[]> {
 	if (!cachedTasks) {
-		cachedTasks = await detectNpmScripts(context, showWarning);
+		const allTasks: ITaskWithLocation[] = [];
+		for await (const path of findNpmPackages()) {
+			const tasks = await provideNpmScriptsForFolder(context, path, showWarning);
+			allTasks.push(...tasks);
+		}
+		cachedTasks = allTasks;
 	}
 	return cachedTasks;
 }
@@ -277,15 +294,13 @@ async function provideNpmScriptsForFolder(context: ExtensionContext, packageJson
 
 	const result: ITaskWithLocation[] = [];
 
-	const packageManager = await getPackageManager(context, folder.uri, showWarning);
-
 	for (const { name, value, nameRange } of scripts.scripts) {
-		const task = await createScriptRunnerTask(packageManager, name, folder!, packageJsonUri, value);
+		const task = await createScriptRunnerTask(context, name, folder!, packageJsonUri, value, showWarning);
 		result.push({ task, location: new Location(packageJsonUri, nameRange) });
 	}
 
 	if (!workspace.getConfiguration('npm', folder).get<string[]>('scriptExplorerExclude', []).find(e => e.includes(INSTALL_SCRIPT))) {
-		result.push({ task: await createInstallationTask(packageManager, folder, packageJsonUri, 'install dependencies from package') });
+		result.push({ task: await createInstallationTask(context, folder, packageJsonUri, 'install dependencies from package', showWarning) });
 	}
 	return result;
 }
@@ -317,7 +332,8 @@ function getRelativePath(rootUri: Uri, packageJsonUri: Uri): string {
 	return absolutePath.substring(rootUri.path.length + 1);
 }
 
-export async function createScriptRunnerTask(packageManager: string, script: string, folder: WorkspaceFolder, packageJsonUri: Uri, scriptValue?: string): Promise<Task> {
+export async function createScriptRunnerTask(context: ExtensionContext, script: string, folder: WorkspaceFolder, packageJsonUri: Uri, scriptValue?: string, showWarning = true): Promise<Task> {
+	const scriptRunner = await getScriptRunner(context, folder.uri, showWarning);
 	let kind: INpmTaskDefinition = { type: 'npm', script };
 
 	const relativePackageJson = getRelativePath(folder.uri, packageJsonUri);
@@ -326,7 +342,7 @@ export async function createScriptRunnerTask(packageManager: string, script: str
 	}
 	const taskName = getTaskName(script, relativePackageJson);
 	const cwd = path.dirname(packageJsonUri.fsPath);
-	const task = new Task(kind, folder, taskName, 'npm', new ShellExecution(packageManager, getCommandLine(folder.uri, ['run', script]), { cwd: cwd }));
+	const task = new Task(kind, folder, taskName, 'npm', new ShellExecution(scriptRunner, getCommandLine(folder.uri, ['run', script]), { cwd: cwd }));
 	task.detail = scriptValue;
 
 	const lowerCaseTaskName = script.toLowerCase();
@@ -343,7 +359,8 @@ export async function createScriptRunnerTask(packageManager: string, script: str
 	return task;
 }
 
-export async function createInstallationTask(packageManager: string, folder: WorkspaceFolder, packageJsonUri: Uri, scriptValue?: string): Promise<Task> {
+export async function createInstallationTask(context: ExtensionContext, folder: WorkspaceFolder, packageJsonUri: Uri, scriptValue?: string, showWarning = true): Promise<Task> {
+	const packageManager = await getPackageManager(context, folder.uri, showWarning);
 	const kind: INpmTaskDefinition = { type: 'npm', script: INSTALL_SCRIPT };
 
 	const relativePackageJson = getRelativePath(folder.uri, packageJsonUri);
@@ -411,15 +428,17 @@ export async function runScript(context: ExtensionContext, script: string, docum
 	const uri = document.uri;
 	const folder = workspace.getWorkspaceFolder(uri);
 	if (folder) {
-		const task = await createScriptRunnerTask(await getPackageManager(context, folder.uri), script, folder, uri);
+		const task = await createScriptRunnerTask(context, script, folder, uri);
 		tasks.executeTask(task);
 	}
 }
 
 export async function startDebugging(context: ExtensionContext, scriptName: string, cwd: string, folder: WorkspaceFolder) {
+	let scriptRunner = await getScriptRunner(context, folder.uri, true);
+
 	commands.executeCommand(
 		'extension.js-debug.createDebuggerTerminal',
-		`${await getPackageManager(context, folder.uri)} run ${scriptName}`,
+		`${scriptRunner} run ${scriptName}`,
 		folder,
 		{ cwd },
 	);