diff --git a/lib/builder/webpack/base.config.js b/lib/builder/webpack/base.config.js
index 1ea3eecd6a..bc12f57a12 100644
--- a/lib/builder/webpack/base.config.js
+++ b/lib/builder/webpack/base.config.js
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ const WarnFixPlugin = require('./plugins/warnfix')
 |--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 */
 module.exports = function webpackBaseConfig({ name, isServer }) {
+  // Prioritize nested node_modules in webpack search path (#2558)
+  const webpackModulesDir = ['node_modules'].concat(this.options.modulesDir)
+
   const config = {
     name,
     entry: {
@@ -25,9 +28,9 @@ module.exports = function webpackBaseConfig({ name, isServer }) {
       path: resolve(this.options.buildDir, 'dist'),
       filename: this.getFileName('app'),
       chunkFilename: this.getFileName('chunk'),
-      publicPath: (isUrl(this.options.build.publicPath)
+      publicPath: isUrl(this.options.build.publicPath)
         ? this.options.build.publicPath
-        : urlJoin(this.options.router.base, this.options.build.publicPath))
+        : urlJoin(this.options.router.base, this.options.build.publicPath)
     },
     performance: {
       maxEntrypointSize: 1000000,
@@ -43,13 +46,13 @@ module.exports = function webpackBaseConfig({ name, isServer }) {
         '@@': join(this.options.rootDir),
         // Used by vue-loader so we can use in templates
         // with <img src="~/assets/nuxt.png"/>
-        'assets': join(this.options.srcDir, 'assets'),
-        'static': join(this.options.srcDir, 'static')
+        assets: join(this.options.srcDir, 'assets'),
+        static: join(this.options.srcDir, 'static')
       },
-      modules: this.options.modulesDir
+      modules: webpackModulesDir
     },
     resolveLoader: {
-      modules: this.options.modulesDir
+      modules: webpackModulesDir
     },
     module: {
       noParse: /es6-promise\.js$/, // Avoid webpack shimming process
@@ -67,9 +70,18 @@ module.exports = function webpackBaseConfig({ name, isServer }) {
         },
         { test: /\.css$/, use: styleLoader.call(this, 'css') },
         { test: /\.less$/, use: styleLoader.call(this, 'less', 'less-loader') },
-        { test: /\.sass$/, use: styleLoader.call(this, 'sass', {loader: 'sass-loader', options: { indentedSyntax: true }}) },
+        {
+          test: /\.sass$/,
+          use: styleLoader.call(this, 'sass', {
+            loader: 'sass-loader',
+            options: { indentedSyntax: true }
+          })
+        },
         { test: /\.scss$/, use: styleLoader.call(this, 'scss', 'sass-loader') },
-        { test: /\.styl(us)?$/, use: styleLoader.call(this, 'stylus', 'stylus-loader') },
+        {
+          test: /\.styl(us)?$/,
+          use: styleLoader.call(this, 'stylus', 'stylus-loader')
+        },
         {
           test: /\.(png|jpe?g|gif|svg)$/,
           loader: 'url-loader',