diff --git a/ui/build.gradle b/ui/build.gradle
index 7735a3116..173cbab6c 100644
--- a/ui/build.gradle
+++ b/ui/build.gradle
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@ plugins {
     id 'com.moowork.node' version '1.3.1'
 }
 
+// what's the worst that could happen, right? :-D
+npmInstall.setNpmCommand('ci')
+
 node {
     version = '10.15.3'
     npmVersion = '6.4.1'