diff --git a/packages/create-rslib/fragments/base/node-dual-js/rslib.config.mjs b/packages/create-rslib/fragments/base/node-dual-js/rslib.config.mjs
index c10509104..1ce38121a 100644
--- a/packages/create-rslib/fragments/base/node-dual-js/rslib.config.mjs
+++ b/packages/create-rslib/fragments/base/node-dual-js/rslib.config.mjs
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@ export default defineConfig({
   lib: [
     {
       format: 'esm',
-      syntax: 'esnext',
+      syntax: ['node 18'],
     },
     {
       format: 'cjs',
-      syntax: 'esnext',
+      syntax: ['node 18'],
     },
   ],
 });
diff --git a/packages/create-rslib/fragments/base/node-dual-ts/rslib.config.ts b/packages/create-rslib/fragments/base/node-dual-ts/rslib.config.ts
index 927aeeba0..922f44d97 100644
--- a/packages/create-rslib/fragments/base/node-dual-ts/rslib.config.ts
+++ b/packages/create-rslib/fragments/base/node-dual-ts/rslib.config.ts
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@ export default defineConfig({
   lib: [
     {
       format: 'esm',
-      syntax: 'esnext',
+      syntax: ['node 18'],
       dts: true,
     },
     {
       format: 'cjs',
-      syntax: 'esnext',
+      syntax: ['node 18'],
     },
   ],
 });
diff --git a/packages/create-rslib/fragments/base/node-esm-js/rslib.config.mjs b/packages/create-rslib/fragments/base/node-esm-js/rslib.config.mjs
index da5a46754..a981d59f2 100644
--- a/packages/create-rslib/fragments/base/node-esm-js/rslib.config.mjs
+++ b/packages/create-rslib/fragments/base/node-esm-js/rslib.config.mjs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ export default defineConfig({
   lib: [
     {
       format: 'esm',
-      syntax: 'esnext',
+      syntax: ['node 18'],
     },
   ],
 });
diff --git a/packages/create-rslib/fragments/base/node-esm-ts/rslib.config.ts b/packages/create-rslib/fragments/base/node-esm-ts/rslib.config.ts
index 243ffc520..75a1f2011 100644
--- a/packages/create-rslib/fragments/base/node-esm-ts/rslib.config.ts
+++ b/packages/create-rslib/fragments/base/node-esm-ts/rslib.config.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ export default defineConfig({
   lib: [
     {
       format: 'esm',
-      syntax: 'esnext',
+      syntax: ['node 18'],
       dts: true,
     },
   ],
diff --git a/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-dual]-[]-js/rslib.config.mjs b/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-dual]-[]-js/rslib.config.mjs
index c10509104..1ce38121a 100644
--- a/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-dual]-[]-js/rslib.config.mjs
+++ b/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-dual]-[]-js/rslib.config.mjs
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@ export default defineConfig({
   lib: [
     {
       format: 'esm',
-      syntax: 'esnext',
+      syntax: ['node 18'],
     },
     {
       format: 'cjs',
-      syntax: 'esnext',
+      syntax: ['node 18'],
     },
   ],
 });
diff --git a/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-dual]-[]-ts/rslib.config.ts b/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-dual]-[]-ts/rslib.config.ts
index 927aeeba0..922f44d97 100644
--- a/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-dual]-[]-ts/rslib.config.ts
+++ b/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-dual]-[]-ts/rslib.config.ts
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@ export default defineConfig({
   lib: [
     {
       format: 'esm',
-      syntax: 'esnext',
+      syntax: ['node 18'],
       dts: true,
     },
     {
       format: 'cjs',
-      syntax: 'esnext',
+      syntax: ['node 18'],
     },
   ],
 });
diff --git a/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-dual]-[vitest]-js/rslib.config.mjs b/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-dual]-[vitest]-js/rslib.config.mjs
index c10509104..1ce38121a 100644
--- a/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-dual]-[vitest]-js/rslib.config.mjs
+++ b/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-dual]-[vitest]-js/rslib.config.mjs
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@ export default defineConfig({
   lib: [
     {
       format: 'esm',
-      syntax: 'esnext',
+      syntax: ['node 18'],
     },
     {
       format: 'cjs',
-      syntax: 'esnext',
+      syntax: ['node 18'],
     },
   ],
 });
diff --git a/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-dual]-[vitest]-ts/rslib.config.ts b/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-dual]-[vitest]-ts/rslib.config.ts
index 927aeeba0..922f44d97 100644
--- a/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-dual]-[vitest]-ts/rslib.config.ts
+++ b/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-dual]-[vitest]-ts/rslib.config.ts
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@ export default defineConfig({
   lib: [
     {
       format: 'esm',
-      syntax: 'esnext',
+      syntax: ['node 18'],
       dts: true,
     },
     {
       format: 'cjs',
-      syntax: 'esnext',
+      syntax: ['node 18'],
     },
   ],
 });
diff --git a/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-esm]-[]-js/rslib.config.mjs b/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-esm]-[]-js/rslib.config.mjs
index da5a46754..a981d59f2 100644
--- a/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-esm]-[]-js/rslib.config.mjs
+++ b/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-esm]-[]-js/rslib.config.mjs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ export default defineConfig({
   lib: [
     {
       format: 'esm',
-      syntax: 'esnext',
+      syntax: ['node 18'],
     },
   ],
 });
diff --git a/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-esm]-[]-ts/rslib.config.ts b/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-esm]-[]-ts/rslib.config.ts
index 243ffc520..75a1f2011 100644
--- a/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-esm]-[]-ts/rslib.config.ts
+++ b/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-esm]-[]-ts/rslib.config.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ export default defineConfig({
   lib: [
     {
       format: 'esm',
-      syntax: 'esnext',
+      syntax: ['node 18'],
       dts: true,
     },
   ],
diff --git a/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-esm]-[vitest]-js/rslib.config.mjs b/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-esm]-[vitest]-js/rslib.config.mjs
index da5a46754..a981d59f2 100644
--- a/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-esm]-[vitest]-js/rslib.config.mjs
+++ b/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-esm]-[vitest]-js/rslib.config.mjs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ export default defineConfig({
   lib: [
     {
       format: 'esm',
-      syntax: 'esnext',
+      syntax: ['node 18'],
     },
   ],
 });
diff --git a/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-esm]-[vitest]-ts/rslib.config.ts b/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-esm]-[vitest]-ts/rslib.config.ts
index 243ffc520..75a1f2011 100644
--- a/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-esm]-[vitest]-ts/rslib.config.ts
+++ b/packages/create-rslib/template-[node-esm]-[vitest]-ts/rslib.config.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ export default defineConfig({
   lib: [
     {
       format: 'esm',
-      syntax: 'esnext',
+      syntax: ['node 18'],
       dts: true,
     },
   ],