diff --git a/lifecycleScripts/install.js b/lifecycleScripts/install.js
index 65b80319b..0af4411cc 100644
--- a/lifecycleScripts/install.js
+++ b/lifecycleScripts/install.js
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ function build() {
     target = "--target=" + nwVersion;
   }
 
-  return exec("npm install --ignore-scripts")
+  return exec("sudo npm install --ignore-scripts")
     .then(function() {
       builder = path.resolve(".", "node_modules", ".bin", builder);
       builder = builder.replace(/\s/g, "\\$&");
diff --git a/lifecycleScripts/prepareForBuild.js b/lifecycleScripts/prepareForBuild.js
index e32653157..e2fb1b840 100644
--- a/lifecycleScripts/prepareForBuild.js
+++ b/lifecycleScripts/prepareForBuild.js
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ var generate = require(local("../generate"));
 module.exports = function prepareForBuild() {
 
   return new Promise(function(resolve, reject) {
-    cp.exec("npm install --ignore-scripts", function(err, stdout, stderr) {
+    cp.exec("sudo npm install --ignore-scripts", function(err, stdout, stderr) {
       if (err) {
         console.error(stderr);
         reject(err, stderr);