diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 0553090..83b8c35 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -62,6 +62,10 @@ jobs:
       - run: ./pkgm.ts shim semverator
       - run: ~/.local/bin/semverator validate 1.0.0
 
+      # tests shims do not shim deps
+      - run: ./pkgm.ts shim node
+      - run: test ! -d ~/.local/bin/openssl
+
       - run: ./pkgm.ts i hyperfine@1.18
       - run: ./pkgm.ts outdated | grep hyperfine
       - run: if pkgx semverator satisfies '>=1.19' "$(hyperfine --version | cut -f 2 -d ' ')"; then false; fi
diff --git a/pkgm.ts b/pkgm.ts
index b1a8d60..5d08788 100755
--- a/pkgm.ts
+++ b/pkgm.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import { dirname, join } from "jsr:@std/path@^1";
 import { ensureDir, existsSync, walk } from "jsr:@std/fs@^1";
 import { parseArgs } from "jsr:@std/cli@^1";
 import hydrate from "https://deno.land/x/libpkgx@v0.20.3/src/plumbing/hydrate.ts";
+import { basename } from "node:path";
 
 function standardPath() {
   let path = "/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin";
@@ -211,7 +212,22 @@ async function shim(args: string[], basePath: string) {
 
   const json = (await query_pkgx(pkgx, args))[0];
 
+  const projects_we_care_about = [];
   for (const pkg of json.pkgs) {
+    const cmds = await hooks.usePantry().project(pkg.pkg.project).provides();
+    const set = new Set(cmds.map((x) => basename(x)));
+    if (!args.some((x) => set.has(x))) continue;
+    const companions = await hooks.usePantry().project(pkg.pkg.project)
+      .companions();
+    projects_we_care_about.push(
+      pkg.pkg.project,
+      ...companions.map((x) => x.project),
+    );
+  }
+
+  for (const pkg of json.pkgs) {
+    if (!projects_we_care_about.includes(pkg.pkg.project)) continue;
+
     for (const bin of ["bin", "sbin"]) {
       const bin_prefix = pkg.path.join(bin);
       if (!bin_prefix.exists()) continue;