diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 33c4e5313..517edf297 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ before_install:
     - nvm install 5.6
     - nvm use 5.6
     - npm upgrade -g npm
-    - npm install
+    - npm install && npm run bower
     - 'if [[ $GROUP == js* ]]; then  npm install -g casperjs@1.1.0-beta5; fi'
     - git clone --quiet --depth 1 https://github.com/minrk/travis-wheels travis-wheels
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 1f67a82a1..881784f22 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
     "lint": "eslint --quiet notebook/",
     "bower": "bower install --allow-root --config.interactive=false",
     "build:watch": "concurrent \"npm run build:css:watch\" \"npm run build:js:watch\"",
-    "build": "npm run build:css && npm run build:js",
+    "build": "npm run build:js && npm run build:css",
     "build:css": "concurrent 'npm run build:css:ipython' 'npm run build:css:style'",
     "build:css:ipython": "lessc --source-map --include-path=notebook/static notebook/static/style/ipython.less notebook/static/style/ipython.min.css",
     "build:css:style": "lessc --source-map --include-path=notebook/static notebook/static/style/style.less notebook/static/style/style.min.css",
diff --git a/setupbase.py b/setupbase.py
index 334be80d4..03ab947b1 100644
--- a/setupbase.py
+++ b/setupbase.py
@@ -530,8 +530,8 @@ def css_js_prerelease(command, strict=False):
                 return
 
             try:
-                self.distribution.run_command('css')
                 self.distribution.run_command('js')
+                self.distribution.run_command('css')
             except Exception as e:
                 # refresh missing
                 missing = [ t for t in targets if not os.path.exists(t) ]