diff --git a/src/node/server.js b/src/node/server.js
index e890a020c..aec0d442f 100755
--- a/src/node/server.js
+++ b/src/node/server.js
@@ -43,11 +43,9 @@ const UpdateCheck = require('./utils/UpdateCheck');
 const db = require('./db/DB');
 const express = require('./hooks/express');
 const hooks = require('../static/js/pluginfw/hooks');
-const npm = require('npm/lib/npm.js');
 const pluginDefs = require('../static/js/pluginfw/plugin_defs');
 const plugins = require('../static/js/pluginfw/plugins');
 const settings = require('./utils/Settings');
-const util = require('util');
 
 const logger = log4js.getLogger('server');
 
@@ -138,7 +136,6 @@ exports.start = async () => {
       });
     }
 
-    await util.promisify(npm.load)();
     await db.init();
     await plugins.update();
     const installedPlugins = Object.values(pluginDefs.plugins)
diff --git a/src/static/js/pluginfw/installer.js b/src/static/js/pluginfw/installer.js
index 5f2e6ea16..8908dbaaa 100644
--- a/src/static/js/pluginfw/installer.js
+++ b/src/static/js/pluginfw/installer.js
@@ -3,20 +3,11 @@
 const log4js = require('log4js');
 const plugins = require('./plugins');
 const hooks = require('./hooks');
-const npm = require('npm');
 const request = require('request');
-const util = require('util');
+const runCmd = require('../../../node/utils/run_cmd');
 
 const logger = log4js.getLogger('plugins');
 
-let npmIsLoaded = false;
-const loadNpm = async () => {
-  if (npmIsLoaded) return;
-  await util.promisify(npm.load)({});
-  npmIsLoaded = true;
-  npm.on('log', log4js.getLogger('npm').log);
-};
-
 const onAllTasksFinished = () => {
   hooks.aCallAll('restartServer', {}, () => {});
 };
@@ -37,8 +28,8 @@ exports.uninstall = async (pluginName, cb = null) => {
   cb = wrapTaskCb(cb);
   logger.info(`Uninstalling plugin ${pluginName}...`);
   try {
-    await loadNpm();
-    await util.promisify(npm.commands.uninstall)([pluginName]);
+    // The --no-save flag prevents npm from creating package.json or package-lock.json.
+    await runCmd(['npm', 'uninstall', '--no-save', pluginName]);
   } catch (err) {
     logger.error(`Failed to uninstall plugin ${pluginName}`);
     cb(err || new Error(err));
@@ -54,8 +45,8 @@ exports.install = async (pluginName, cb = null) => {
   cb = wrapTaskCb(cb);
   logger.info(`Installing plugin ${pluginName}...`);
   try {
-    await loadNpm();
-    await util.promisify(npm.commands.install)([`${pluginName}@latest`]);
+    // The --no-save flag prevents npm from creating package.json or package-lock.json.
+    await runCmd(['npm', 'install', '--no-save', pluginName]);
   } catch (err) {
     logger.error(`Failed to install plugin ${pluginName}`);
     cb(err || new Error(err));