NPM Update failing for private repo - node.js

Question

I have an express project that accesses some common node code that I keep in a private repository in github. I have a line like the following in my package.json file
git+ssh://git#github.com:MYGITHUBACCT/MYPROJECT.git#master
When I run npm install, everything works correctly and it pulls my common code from the private repo and places it in my node_modules directory. However, when I run npm update, it fails on my private repo and displays the following:
npm ERR! 404 'MYPROJECT' is not in the npm registry.
npm ERR! 404 You should bug the author to publish it
npm ERR! 404
npm ERR! 404 Note that you can also install from a
npm ERR! 404 tarball, folder, or http url, or git url.
npm ERR! System Darwin 12.2.0
npm ERR! command "node" "/usr/local/bin/npm" "update"
npm ERR! cwd /Users/ginnyd/dev/gg-web
npm ERR! node -v v0.8.16
npm ERR! npm -v 1.1.69
npm ERR! code E404
Is there anything special I need to do in the package.json so that I can run the update and have it pull from GitHub?
Thanks
Ginny

Answer 1

Apparently, this is still an open issue with npm.
Meanwhile, to update git dependencies, you have to remove them first and then doing an npm install.
rm -rf node_modules/MYPROJECT
npm install

Answer 2

This have fixed in npm, please upgrade to npm >= 1.3.10
Sample usage
"dependencies": {
"thing": "git://github.com/myGitHubRepo/repo.js.git#56477cb",
}
Some day later
"dependencies": {
"thing": "git://github.com/myGitHubRepo/repo.js.git#67f90b5",
}
Then npm install again and you will get new ref!
If your "myGitHubRepo/repo.js" is a private package you should set "private": true there to ensure it doesn't get accidentally published to npm registry