diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index b97c662f3..474dacff1 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -31,8 +31,7 @@
     "doctor": "node ./packages/doctor",
     "e2e-test": "lerna exec \"gulp e2e-test\"",
     "generate-docs": "lerna run --scope=appium generate-docs",
-    "pregenerate-schema-declarations": "lerna exec --scope=appium \"gulp transpile\"",
-    "generate-schema-declarations": "node ./scripts/generate-schema-declarations.js",
+    "generate-schema-declarations": "node ./scripts/generate-schema-declarations.mjs",
     "postinstall": "lerna bootstrap && lerna exec --parallel \"gulp prepublish\"",
     "install-fake-driver": "lerna run --scope=appium install-fake-driver",
     "lint": "lerna exec --parallel \"gulp lint\" && lerna run --scope=@appium/eslint-config-appium lint",
diff --git a/scripts/generate-schema-declarations.js b/scripts/generate-schema-declarations.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 5999141a4..000000000
--- a/scripts/generate-schema-declarations.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,42 +0,0 @@
-/* eslint-disable no-console */
-'use strict';
-
-/*
- * This module reads in the config file JSON schema and outputs a TypeScript declaration file (`.d.ts`).
- */
-
-const path = require('path');
-const {compileFromFile} = require('json-schema-to-typescript');
-const {fs} = require('../packages/support');
-const {execSync} = require('child_process');
-
-const SCHEMA_PATH = require.resolve(
-  '../packages/appium/build/lib/appium-config.schema.json',
-);
-
-const DECLARATIONS_PATH = path.join(
-  __dirname,
-  '..',
-  'packages',
-  'appium',
-  'types',
-  'appium-config.d.ts',
-);
-
-async function main () {
-  try {
-    const ts = await compileFromFile(SCHEMA_PATH);
-    await fs.writeFile(DECLARATIONS_PATH, ts);
-    console.log(`wrote to ${DECLARATIONS_PATH}`);
-    execSync(`git add -A "${DECLARATIONS_PATH}"`);
-    console.log(`added ${DECLARATIONS_PATH} to the stage`);
-  } catch (err) {
-    console.error('Be sure to build the project first!');
-    console.error(err);
-    process.exitCode = 1;
-  }
-}
-
-if (require.main === module) {
-  main();
-}
diff --git a/scripts/generate-schema-declarations.mjs b/scripts/generate-schema-declarations.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7a7a322d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/generate-schema-declarations.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+/* eslint-disable no-console */
+/*
+ * This module reads in the config file JSON schema and outputs a TypeScript declaration file (`.d.ts`).
+ *
+ * WARNING: This will add `../packages/appium/types/appium-config.d.ts` to the Git stage!
+ */
+
+import { execSync } from 'child_process';
+import { compileFromFile } from 'json-schema-to-typescript';
+import path from 'path';
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'url';
+import { promises as fs } from 'fs';
+
+const __dirname = path.dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
+
+const SCHEMA_PATH = path.join(
+  __dirname,
+  '..',
+  'packages',
+  'appium',
+  'lib',
+  'appium-config.schema.json',
+);
+
+const DECLARATIONS_PATH = path.join(
+  __dirname,
+  '..',
+  'packages',
+  'appium',
+  'types',
+  'appium-config.d.ts',
+);
+
+// no top-level await in node v12
+async function main () {
+  try {
+    console.log('transpiling appium...');
+    execSync('../node_modules/.bin/gulp -f ../packages/appium/gulpfile.js transpile', {stdio: 'inherit', cwd: __dirname});
+    const ts = await compileFromFile(SCHEMA_PATH);
+    await fs.writeFile(DECLARATIONS_PATH, ts);
+    console.log(`wrote to ${DECLARATIONS_PATH}`);
+    execSync(`git add -A "${DECLARATIONS_PATH}"`, {stdio: 'inherit'});
+    console.log(`added ${DECLARATIONS_PATH} to the stage`);
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.error(err);
+    process.exitCode = 1;
+  }
+}
+
+main();
diff --git a/tsconfig.json b/tsconfig.json
index 384ca2077..4e7902278 100644
--- a/tsconfig.json
+++ b/tsconfig.json
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@
   "include": [
     "packages/*/**/*.d.ts",
     "packages/*/**/*.js",
-    "scripts/*.js",
-    "*.js"
+    "*.js",
+    "scripts/generate-schema-declarations.mjs"
   ],
   "exclude": ["**/node_modules/**", "**/build/**"]
 }