diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 986bbd6a..5534126d 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -9,18 +9,19 @@ before_script:
   - snakemake packrat_restore
 
 install:
+  - sudo apt-get install -y r-base
+  - R -e 'install.packages(c( "rmarkdown"), repos = "http://cran.us.r-project.org")'
   - wget https://repo.continuum.io/miniconda/Miniconda3-latest-Linux-x86_64.sh -O miniconda.sh;
   - bash miniconda.sh -b -p $HOME/miniconda
   - source "$HOME/miniconda/etc/profile.d/conda.sh"
   - hash -r
   - conda config --set always_yes yes --set changeps1 no
   - conda update -q conda
-  - conda config --add channels r
   # Useful for debugging any issues with conda
   - conda info -a
 
   # Replace dep1 dep2 ... with your dependencies
-  - R -e 'install.packages(c( "rmarkdown"), repos = "http://cran.us.r-project.org")'
+
   - conda create -q -n test-environment python=$TRAVIS_PYTHON_VERSION --file environment.yml
   - conda activate test-environment