diff --git a/tests/run-test.sh b/tests/run-test.sh
index 86c109b..5a86393 100755
--- a/tests/run-test.sh
+++ b/tests/run-test.sh
@@ -6,8 +6,14 @@ cd $SOURCE
 git init
 make bots test/common
 
-# only install a subset to save time/space
-npm install chrome-remote-interface sizzle
+
+# support running from clean git tree
+if [ ! -d node_modules/chrome-remote-interface ]; then
+    # copy package.json temporarily otherwise npm might try to install the dependencies from it
+    mv package.json .package.json
+    npm install chrome-remote-interface sizzle
+    mv .package.json package.json
+fi
 
 . /etc/os-release
 export TEST_OS="${ID}-${VERSION_ID/./-}"