diff --git a/npm/extensions.bzl b/npm/extensions.bzl
index e8427101a..6c7adafeb 100644
--- a/npm/extensions.bzl
+++ b/npm/extensions.bzl
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ def _npm_extension_impl(module_ctx):
                 (registries, npm_auth) = npm_translate_lock_helpers.get_npm_auth(npmrc, module_ctx.path(attr.npmrc), module_ctx.os.environ)
 
             if attr.use_home_npmrc:
-                home_directory = utils.home_directory(module_ctx)
+                home_directory = repo_utils.get_home_directory(module_ctx)
                 if home_directory:
                     home_npmrc_path = "{}/{}".format(home_directory, ".npmrc")
                     home_npmrc = parse_npmrc(module_ctx.read(home_npmrc_path))
diff --git a/npm/private/npm_translate_lock_state.bzl b/npm/private/npm_translate_lock_state.bzl
index 136998548..3b47d6dd8 100644
--- a/npm/private/npm_translate_lock_state.bzl
+++ b/npm/private/npm_translate_lock_state.bzl
@@ -483,7 +483,7 @@ def _load_npmrc(priv, rctx, npmrc_path):
 
 ################################################################################
 def _load_home_npmrc(priv, rctx):
-    home_directory = utils.home_directory(rctx)
+    home_directory = repo_utils.get_home_directory(rctx)
     if not home_directory:
         # buildifier: disable=print
         print("""
diff --git a/npm/private/utils.bzl b/npm/private/utils.bzl
index 7a30110d4..d01b09b80 100644
--- a/npm/private/utils.bzl
+++ b/npm/private/utils.bzl
@@ -378,9 +378,6 @@ if [ ! -f $1 ]; then exit 42; fi
     else:
         fail(INTERNAL_ERROR_MSG)
 
-def _home_directory(rctx):
-    return repo_utils.get_env_var(rctx, "HOME", None)
-
 def _replace_npmrc_token_envvar(token, npmrc_path, environ):
     # A token can be a reference to an environment variable
     if token.startswith("$"):
@@ -463,7 +460,6 @@ utils = struct(
     dicts_match = _dicts_match,
     reverse_force_copy = _reverse_force_copy,
     exists = _exists,
-    home_directory = _home_directory,
     replace_npmrc_token_envvar = _replace_npmrc_token_envvar,
     is_vendored_tarfile = _is_vendored_tarfile,
     is_tarball_extension = _is_tarball_extension,