diff --git a/.node-version b/.node-version
deleted file mode 100644
index 8ddbc0c6..00000000
--- a/.node-version
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-v18.16.0
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/boot/master.ts b/packages/backend/src/boot/master.ts
index 89f72227..84767a92 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/boot/master.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/boot/master.ts
@@ -148,9 +148,7 @@ function showNodejsVersion(): void {
 
 	nodejsLogger.info(`Version ${process.version} detected.`);
 
-	const minVersion = fs
-		.readFileSync(`${_dirname}/../../../../.node-version`, "utf-8")
-		.trim();
+	const minVersion = "v18.16.0";
 	if (semver.lt(process.version, minVersion)) {
 		nodejsLogger.error(`At least Node.js ${minVersion} required!`);
 		process.exit(1);