diff --git a/extensions/npm/src/tasks.ts b/extensions/npm/src/tasks.ts
index accbe0f6bc9..ad9ef3c87ea 100644
--- a/extensions/npm/src/tasks.ts
+++ b/extensions/npm/src/tasks.ts
@@ -287,8 +287,9 @@ async function provideNpmScriptsForFolder(context: ExtensionContext, packageJson
 		result.push({ task, location: new Location(packageJsonUri, nameRange) });
 	}
 
-	// always add npm install (without a problem matcher)
-	result.push({ task: await createTask(packageManager, INSTALL_SCRIPT, [INSTALL_SCRIPT], folder, packageJsonUri, 'install dependencies from package', []) });
+	if (!workspace.getConfiguration('npm', folder).get<string[]>('scriptExplorerExclude', []).find(e => e.includes('install'))) {
+		result.push({ task: await createTask(packageManager, INSTALL_SCRIPT, [INSTALL_SCRIPT], folder, packageJsonUri, 'install dependencies from package', []) });
+	}
 	return result;
 }