diff --git a/guix/build/node-build-system.scm b/guix/build/node-build-system.scm
index 8c59ec086a..f1e9d00b5f 100644
--- a/guix/build/node-build-system.scm
+++ b/guix/build/node-build-system.scm
@@ -55,11 +55,24 @@ to be written as json to the replacement FILE."
     (lambda (in out)
       (scm->json (proc (json->scm in)) out))))
 
-(define* (modify-json #:key (file "package.json") #:rest modifications)
+(define* (modify-json #:key (file "package.json") #:rest all-arguments)
   "Provide package.json modifying callbacks such as (delete-dependencies ...)"
-  (with-atomic-json-file-replacement
-   (apply compose modifications)
-   file))
+  (let
+    (
+      (modifications
+        (let loop ((arguments all-arguments))
+          (cond
+            ((null? arguments) '())
+            ((keyword? (car arguments)) (loop (cddr arguments)))
+            (else (cons (car arguments) (loop (cdr arguments))))))))
+    (with-atomic-json-file-replacement
+      (lambda (package)
+        (fold
+          (lambda (modification package)
+            (modification package))
+          package
+          modifications))
+      file)))
 
 (define (delete-dependencies dependencies-to-remove)
   "Rewrite 'package.json' to allow the build to proceed without packages