diff --git a/test/distrib/node/run_distrib_test.sh b/test/distrib/node/run_distrib_test.sh
index 3e1fc21b7322ac5022b5bd41642b32f8bb76941a..dbbcad25e4261a13eae13e8033b9c2bdc4375570 100755
--- a/test/distrib/node/run_distrib_test.sh
+++ b/test/distrib/node/run_distrib_test.sh
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ STATIC_PID=$!
 
 STATIC_URL="http://$STATIC_SERVER:$STATIC_PORT/"
 
-npm install $STATIC_URL/grpc.tgz --grpc_node_binary_host_mirror=$STATIC_URL
+npm install --unsafe-perm $STATIC_URL/grpc.tgz --grpc_node_binary_host_mirror=$STATIC_URL
 
 kill $STATIC_PID