diff --git a/appveyor.yml b/appveyor.yml
index dc695e23..95fcef82 100644
--- a/appveyor.yml
+++ b/appveyor.yml
@@ -17,16 +17,15 @@ install:
   - ps: Install-Product node $env:nodejs_version $env:Platform
   - ps: Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Scope CurrentUser -Force
   - npm config get
-  # make node >= 4.x x86 builds work
-  # https://github.com/mapbox/node-pre-gyp/issues/209#issuecomment-217690537
-  #- IF /I "%PLATFORM%" == "x86" IF "%nodejs_version:~0,1%"=="4" npm config set -g cafile=package.json
-  #- IF /I "%PLATFORM%" == "x86" IF "%nodejs_version:~0,1%"=="4" npm config set -g strict-ssl=false
   # upgrade node-gyp to dodge 2013 compile issue present in the node gyp bundled with node v0.10
   # https://github.com/nodejs/node-gyp/issues/972#issuecomment-231055109
   - IF "%nodejs_version:~0,1%"=="0" npm install node-gyp@3.x
+  # upgrade node-gyp to dodge https://github.com/mapbox/node-pre-gyp/issues/209#issuecomment-307641388
+  # and allow make node 4.x x86 builds work
+  # https://github.com/mapbox/node-pre-gyp/issues/209#issuecomment-217690537
   - IF "%nodejs_version:~0,1%"=="4" npm install node-gyp@3.x
   # downgrade npm to avoid multiple npm bugs:
-  # for node v6 this dodges npm 3.10.10 bug whereby --nodedir/--dist-url is not passed to node-gyp (https://github.com/mapbox/node-pre-gyp/issues/300)
+  # for node v6/v8 this dodges npm 3.10.10 bug whereby --nodedir/--dist-url is not passed to node-gyp (https://github.com/mapbox/node-pre-gyp/issues/300)
   # for all node x86 versions this dodges a mysterious ELIFECYCLE error: https://ci.appveyor.com/project/Mapbox/node-pre-gyp/build/1.0.582/job/b8q2nud6vkj0s6qo#L233
   - npm install npm@2.x -g
   - node --version