diff --git a/packages/create-block/CHANGELOG.md b/packages/create-block/CHANGELOG.md
index e86cd049c301a0..77477d6f0067cf 100644
--- a/packages/create-block/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/packages/create-block/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+### Bug Fix
+
+-   Fix support for external templates hosted on npm.
+
 ## 1.0.0 (2020-12-17)
 
 ### Breaking Changes
diff --git a/packages/create-block/lib/templates.js b/packages/create-block/lib/templates.js
index b926d20739aa35..3d286f0e15880f 100644
--- a/packages/create-block/lib/templates.js
+++ b/packages/create-block/lib/templates.js
@@ -7,11 +7,6 @@ const { readFile } = require( 'fs' ).promises;
 const { fromPairs, isObject } = require( 'lodash' );
 const { join } = require( 'path' );
 
-/**
- * WordPress dependencies
- */
-const lazyImport = require( '@wordpress/lazy-import' );
-
 /**
  * Internal dependencies
  */
@@ -98,9 +93,9 @@ const getBlockTemplate = async ( templateName ) => {
 		info( '' );
 		info( 'Downloading template files. It might take some time...' );
 
-		const { defaultValues = {}, templatesPath } = await lazyImport(
-			templateName
-		);
+		await command( `npm install ${ templateName } --no-save` );
+
+		const { defaultValues = {}, templatesPath } = require( templateName );
 		if ( ! isObject( defaultValues ) || ! templatesPath ) {
 			throw new Error();
 		}