diff --git a/WORKSPACE b/WORKSPACE
index 6a57eac19eb..dc302a9bab4 100644
--- a/WORKSPACE
+++ b/WORKSPACE
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 workspace(
     name = "buildbuddy",
-    managed_directories = {"@npm": ["node_modules"]},
 )
 
 load("@bazel_tools//tools/build_defs/repo:http.bzl", "http_archive")