diff --git a/gnu/packages/cran.scm b/gnu/packages/cran.scm
index 3e72a082ec..af5749b0d0 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/cran.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/cran.scm
@@ -4591,7 +4591,7 @@ (define-public r-shiny
     (inputs
      (list js-datatables js-selectize js-strftime js-highlight))
     (native-inputs
-     `(("uglifyjs" ,node-uglify-js)
+     `(("esbuild" ,esbuild)
        ("gfortran" ,gfortran)
        ("js-bootstrap-accessibility"
         ,(origin
diff --git a/gnu/packages/statistics.scm b/gnu/packages/statistics.scm
index 61eec5ecd9..aa2094ecdb 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/statistics.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/statistics.scm
@@ -4069,7 +4069,7 @@ (define-public r-dt
        (list js-selectize))
       (native-inputs
        `(("r-knitr" ,r-knitr)
-         ("uglifyjs" ,node-uglify-js)
+         ("esbuild" ,esbuild)
          ("datatables-plugins"
           ,(let ((version "1.13.4"))
              (origin
diff --git a/guix/build-system/minify.scm b/guix/build-system/minify.scm
index 787235deeb..b377b506b5 100644
--- a/guix/build-system/minify.scm
+++ b/guix/build-system/minify.scm
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ;;; GNU Guix --- Functional package management for GNU
-;;; Copyright © 2017, 2018 Ricardo Wurmus <rekado@elephly.net>
+;;; Copyright © 2017, 2018, 2023 Ricardo Wurmus <rekado@elephly.net>
 ;;; Copyright © 2021 Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
 ;;;
 ;;; This file is part of GNU Guix.
@@ -41,15 +41,15 @@ (define %minify-build-system-modules
   `((guix build minify-build-system)
     ,@%gnu-build-system-modules))
 
-(define (default-uglify-js)
+(define (default-esbuild)
   "Return the default package to minify JavaScript source files."
   ;; Lazily resolve the binding to avoid a circular dependency.
-  (let ((mod (resolve-interface '(gnu packages uglifyjs))))
-    (module-ref mod 'uglifyjs)))
+  (let ((mod (resolve-interface '(gnu packages web))))
+    (module-ref mod 'esbuild)))
 
 (define* (lower name
                 #:key source inputs native-inputs outputs system
-                (uglify-js (default-uglify-js))
+                (esbuild (default-esbuild))
                 #:allow-other-keys
                 #:rest arguments)
   "Return a bag for NAME."
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ (define private-keywords
                          '())
                    ,@inputs
                    ,@(standard-packages)))
-    (build-inputs `(("uglify-js" ,uglify-js)
+    (build-inputs `(("esbuild" ,esbuild)
                     ,@native-inputs))
     (outputs outputs)
     (build minify-build)
diff --git a/guix/build/minify-build-system.scm b/guix/build/minify-build-system.scm
index 5789ca3f0f..ea2428fa76 100644
--- a/guix/build/minify-build-system.scm
+++ b/guix/build/minify-build-system.scm
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ;;; GNU Guix --- Functional package management for GNU
-;;; Copyright © 2016 Ricardo Wurmus <rekado@elephly.net>
+;;; Copyright © 2016, 2023 Ricardo Wurmus <rekado@elephly.net>
 ;;; Copyright © 2020 Efraim Flashner <efraim@flashner.co.il>
 ;;;
 ;;; This file is part of GNU Guix.
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ (define-module (guix build minify-build-system)
   #:use-module (srfi srfi-1)
   #:use-module (srfi srfi-26)
   #:use-module (ice-9 match)
-  #:use-module (ice-9 popen)
   #:export (%standard-phases
             minify-build
             minify))
@@ -39,14 +38,9 @@ (define-module (guix build minify-build-system)
 (define* (minify file #:key target (directory ""))
   (format #t "minifying ~a\n" file)
   (let* ((base (basename file ".js"))
-         (installed (or target (string-append directory base ".min.js")))
-         (minified (open-pipe* OPEN_READ "uglifyjs" file)))
-    (call-with-output-file installed
-      (cut dump-port minified <>))
-    (match (close-pipe minified)
-      (0 #t)
-      (status
-       (error "uglify-js failed" status)))))
+         (installed (or target (string-append directory base ".min.js"))))
+    (invoke "esbuild" file "--minify"
+            (string-append "--outfile=" installed))))
 
 (define* (build #:key javascript-files
                 #:allow-other-keys)