diff --git a/setup/setup_serve.sh b/setup/setup_serve.sh
index 3e455cfb2..09c10b2b6 100644
--- a/setup/setup_serve.sh
+++ b/setup/setup_serve.sh
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ echo "Setting up all npm packages"
 npm install
 
 echo "Updating bower"
-npx bower update
+npx bower update --allow-root
 
 echo "Pulling the plugin-specific UIs"
 npm run setup-serve