diff --git a/bin/installDeps.sh b/bin/installDeps.sh
index 2acebd82..256bc55c 100755
--- a/bin/installDeps.sh
+++ b/bin/installDeps.sh
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ fi
 
 #check node version
 NODE_VERSION=$(node --version)
-if [ ! $(echo $NODE_VERSION | cut -d "." -f 1-2) = "v0.6" ]; then
-  echo "You're running a wrong version of node, you're using $NODE_VERSION, we need v0.6.x" >&2
+if [ ! $(echo $NODE_VERSION | cut -d "." -f 1-2) = "v0.8" ]; then
+  echo "You're running a wrong version of node, you're using $NODE_VERSION, we need v0.8.x" >&2
   exit 1 
 fi
 
diff --git a/bin/installOnWindows.bat b/bin/installOnWindows.bat
index f015a544..159c517f 100644
--- a/bin/installOnWindows.bat
+++ b/bin/installOnWindows.bat
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 @echo off
-set NODE_VERSION=0.6.5
+set NODE_VERSION=0.8.1
 set JQUERY_VERSION=1.7
 
 :: change directory to etherpad-lite root
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@ echo _
 echo Copying custom templates...
 set custom_dir=node_modules\ep_etherpad-lite\static\custom
 FOR %%f IN (index pad timeslider) DO (
-  if NOT EXIST %custom_dir%\%%f.js copy %custom_dir%\js.template %custom_dir%\%%f.js
-  if NOT EXIST %custom_dir%\%%f.css copy %custom_dir%\css.template %custom_dir%\%%f.css
+  if NOT EXIST "%custom_dir%\%%f.js" copy "%custom_dir%\js.template" "%custom_dir%\%%f.js"
+  if NOT EXIST "%custom_dir%\%%f.css" copy "%custom_dir%\css.template" "%custom_dir%\%%f.css"
 )
 
 echo _
diff --git a/src/node/utils/caching_middleware.js b/src/node/utils/caching_middleware.js
index ba2b462d..1f533673 100644
--- a/src/node/utils/caching_middleware.js
+++ b/src/node/utils/caching_middleware.js
@@ -21,9 +21,12 @@ var path = require('path');
 var zlib = require('zlib');
 var util = require('util');
 var settings = require('./Settings');
+var semver = require('semver');
+
+var existsSync = (semver.satisfies(process.version, '>=0.8.0')) ? fs.existsSync : path.existsSync
 
 var CACHE_DIR = path.normalize(path.join(settings.root, 'var/'));
-CACHE_DIR = path.existsSync(CACHE_DIR) ? CACHE_DIR : undefined;
+CACHE_DIR = existsSync(CACHE_DIR) ? CACHE_DIR : undefined;
 
 var responseCache = {};
 
diff --git a/src/package.json b/src/package.json
index 48750fbc..002d05ab 100644
--- a/src/package.json
+++ b/src/package.json
@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@
                       "resolve"             : "0.2.1",
                       "socket.io"           : "0.9.6",
                       "ueberDB"             : "0.1.7",
-                      "async"               : "0.1.18",
-                      "express"             : "2.5.8",
-                      "connect"             : "1.8.7",
+                      "async"               : "0.1.x",
+                      "express"             : "2.5.x",
+                      "connect"             : "1.x",
                       "clean-css"           : "0.3.2",
                       "uglify-js"           : "1.2.5",
                       "formidable"          : "1.0.9",