diff --git a/prepareDeployTarget.sh b/prepareDeployTarget.sh
index 6f60050..f92b3fd 100644
--- a/prepareDeployTarget.sh
+++ b/prepareDeployTarget.sh
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 set -eux -o pipefail
 
+readonly USER=ubuntu
 readonly APP_DIR="/home/ubuntu/app"
 readonly CERTS_DIR="/home/ubuntu/certs"
 readonly APP_REPO_DIR="/home/ubuntu/app.git"
@@ -15,44 +16,47 @@ readonly SERVER_NAME="<%= serverName %>"
 readonly ENV="<%= env %>"
 
 swap_file="/swap"
-[[ -f "${swap_file}" ]] && sudo swapoff "${swap_file}"
+[[ -f "${swap_file}" ]] && swapoff "${swap_file}"
 if [[ "${ENV}" == "dev" ]]; then
-    sudo fallocate -l 2048m "${swap_file}"  # t1.micro has 1GB RAM
+    fallocate -l 2048m "${swap_file}"  # t1.micro has 1GB RAM
 elif [[ "${ENV}" == "staging" ]]; then
-    sudo fallocate -l 2048m "${swap_file}"  # t1.micro has 1GB RAM
+    fallocate -l 2048m "${swap_file}"  # t1.micro has 1GB RAM
 else
-    sudo fallocate -l 2048m "${swap_file}"  # t1.micro has 1GB RAM
+    fallocate -l 2048m "${swap_file}"  # t1.micro has 1GB RAM
 fi
-sudo chmod 600 "${swap_file}"
-sudo mkswap "${swap_file}"
-sudo swapon "${swap_file}"
+chmod 600 "${swap_file}"
+mkswap "${swap_file}"
+swapon "${swap_file}"
 if ! grep "${swap_file}" /etc/fstab; then
-    sudo bash -c "echo '${swap_file}  none  swap  sw  0 0' >> /etc/fstab"
+    bash -c "echo '${swap_file}  none  swap  sw  0 0' >> /etc/fstab"
 fi
 
 # install git
-sudo apt-get update
-sudo apt-get install -y git
-git config --global user.name e2etest
-git config --global user.email e2etest@cloudron.io
+apt-get update
+apt-get install -y git
+sudo -u ubuntu git config --global user.name e2etest
+sudo -u ubuntu git config --global user.email e2etest@cloudron.io
 
-# install node v4.x LTS https://github.com/nodesource/distributions
-sudo apt-get install -y python-software-properties python g++ make
-curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_4.x | sudo bash -
-sudo apt-get install -y nodejs
+# install node LTS
+apt-get install -y python-software-properties python g++ make
+mkdir -p /usr/local/node-4.2.2
+curl -sL https://nodejs.org/dist/v4.2.2/node-v4.2.2-linux-x64.tar.gz | tar zxvf - --strip-components=1 -C /usr/local/node-4.2.2
+ln -sf /usr/local/node-4.2.2/bin/node /usr/bin/node
+ln -sf /usr/local/node-4.2.2/bin/npm /usr/bin/npm
+npm config set prefix /usr/local
 
 # copy over ssh keys
-sudo mv "/tmp/id_rsa" "${HOME}/.ssh/id_rsa"
-sudo mv "/tmp/id_rsa.pub" "${HOME}/.ssh/id_rsa.pub"
+mv "/tmp/id_rsa" "${HOME}/.ssh/id_rsa"
+mv "/tmp/id_rsa.pub" "${HOME}/.ssh/id_rsa.pub"
 echo -e "Host *.cloudron.me\n    StrictHostKeyChecking no" > ${HOME}/.ssh/config
 
 # install tmpreaper (runs everyday and clean tmp)
-sudo apt-get install -y tmpreaper
-sudo sed -e 's/SHOWWARNING=true/# SHOWWARNING=true/' -i /etc/tmpreaper.conf
+apt-get install -y tmpreaper
+sed -e 's/SHOWWARNING=true/# SHOWWARNING=true/' -i /etc/tmpreaper.conf
 
 # install pm2
-sudo npm install -g pm2 pm2-run forever
-sudo rm -rf ~/.npm          # .npm will get owned by root after "sudo npm install -g"
+npm install -g pm2 pm2-run forever
+rm -rf ~/.npm          # .npm will get owned by root after "npm install -g"
 
 # installer
 rm -rf "${HOME}/release" && mv /tmp/release "${HOME}"
@@ -94,10 +98,12 @@ pm2 save
 EOF
 chmod +x "${APP_REPO_DIR}/hooks/post-receive"
 
-
 # create empty ecosystem.json
 touch "${ECOSYSTEM}"
 
+# fix ownership
+chown -R $USER:$USER /home/$USER
+
 # run pm2 as current user ubuntu to avoid pm2 running as root below
 pm2 status
 
@@ -105,5 +111,5 @@ pm2 status
 pm2 updatePM2
 
 # setup the init scripts
-sudo pm2 startup -u ubuntu
+pm2 startup -u $USER