diff --git a/src/static/js/pluginfw/installer.ts b/src/static/js/pluginfw/installer.ts
index c605378e1..27e3e487b 100644
--- a/src/static/js/pluginfw/installer.ts
+++ b/src/static/js/pluginfw/installer.ts
@@ -83,7 +83,13 @@ export const checkForMigration = async () => {
   try {
     await fs.access(installedPluginsPath, fs.constants.F_OK);
   } catch (err) {
-    await migratePluginsFromNodeModules();
+    logger.info(`${installedPluginsPath} not found, creating using current node modules`);
+    try {
+      await migratePluginsFromNodeModules();
+    } catch (err2) {
+      logger.warn(`unable to create ${installedPluginsPath}, skipping plugin migrations`);
+      return;
+    }
   }
 
   /*