diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/6848-npm-required-if.yml b/changelogs/fragments/6848-npm-required-if.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4356f53700
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/6848-npm-required-if.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+minor_changes:
+  - npm - minor improvement on parameter validation (https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.general/pull/6848).
diff --git a/plugins/modules/npm.py b/plugins/modules/npm.py
index 013fd6e570..3ad2a64793 100644
--- a/plugins/modules/npm.py
+++ b/plugins/modules/npm.py
@@ -285,7 +285,8 @@ def main():
     arg_spec['global'] = dict(default=False, type='bool')
     module = AnsibleModule(
         argument_spec=arg_spec,
-        supports_check_mode=True
+        required_if=[('state', 'absent', ['name'])],
+        supports_check_mode=True,
     )
 
     name = module.params['name']
@@ -304,8 +305,6 @@ def main():
 
     if not path and not glbl:
         module.fail_json(msg='path must be specified when not using global')
-    if state == 'absent' and not name:
-        module.fail_json(msg='uninstalling a package is only available for named packages')
 
     npm = Npm(module, name=name, path=path, version=version, glbl=glbl, production=production,
               executable=executable, registry=registry, ignore_scripts=ignore_scripts,
diff --git a/tests/integration/targets/npm/tasks/test.yml b/tests/integration/targets/npm/tasks/test.yml
index c8e83f6027..0ab8a98d22 100644
--- a/tests/integration/targets/npm/tasks/test.yml
+++ b/tests/integration/targets/npm/tasks/test.yml
@@ -12,10 +12,10 @@
     # sample: node-v8.2.0-linux-x64.tar.xz
     node_path: '{{ remote_dir }}/{{ nodejs_path }}/bin'
     package: 'iconv-lite'
+  environment:
+    PATH: '{{ node_path }}:{{ ansible_env.PATH }}'
   block:
     - shell: npm --version
-      environment:
-        PATH: '{{ node_path }}:{{ ansible_env.PATH }}'
       register: npm_version
 
     - debug:
@@ -24,11 +24,8 @@
     - name: 'Install simple package without dependency'
       npm:
         path: '{{ remote_dir }}'
-        executable: '{{ node_path }}/npm'
         state: present
         name: '{{ package }}'
-      environment:
-        PATH: '{{ node_path }}:{{ ansible_env.PATH }}'
       register: npm_install
 
     - assert:
@@ -39,11 +36,8 @@
     - name: 'Reinstall simple package without dependency'
       npm:
         path: '{{ remote_dir }}'
-        executable: '{{ node_path }}/npm'
         state: present
         name: '{{ package }}'
-      environment:
-        PATH: '{{ node_path }}:{{ ansible_env.PATH }}'
       register: npm_reinstall
 
     - name: Check there is no change
@@ -60,11 +54,8 @@
     - name: 'reinstall simple package'
       npm:
         path: '{{ remote_dir }}'
-        executable: '{{ node_path }}/npm'
         state: present
         name: '{{ package }}'
-      environment:
-        PATH: '{{ node_path }}:{{ ansible_env.PATH }}'
       register: npm_fix_install
 
     - name: Check result is changed and successful