diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6538234ee389a7f49c509a061f4cb938199053c4..425309e7dcc322333df202c69a0bf72505cdd185 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -21,11 +21,14 @@ cd app
 then run
 
 ```bash
+npm install
 npm start
 ```
 
 This should open a live development server on your local machine and also open upp a browser displaying your rendered app. If no browser is opened then you can start your favorite browser and enter the url http://localhost:3000 (check your terminal to see that the port number really is 3000. It might be something else).
 
+Note that ```npm install``` is only necessary the first time you download the project or when you add new npm dependencies.
+
 # Production
 To build your app,  navigate to the ```app/``` directory:
 ```