diff --git a/src/static/js/pluginfw/installer.js b/src/static/js/pluginfw/installer.js
index 934d5f036..32a1cd19b 100644
--- a/src/static/js/pluginfw/installer.js
+++ b/src/static/js/pluginfw/installer.js
@@ -2,21 +2,15 @@ var plugins = require("ep_etherpad-lite/static/js/pluginfw/plugins");
 var hooks = require("ep_etherpad-lite/static/js/pluginfw/hooks");
 var npm = require("npm");
 var request = require("request");
+const util = require('util');
 
-var npmIsLoaded = false;
-var withNpm = function(npmfn) {
-  if (npmIsLoaded) return npmfn();
-
-  npm.load({}, function(er) {
-    if (er) return npmfn(er);
-
-    npmIsLoaded = true;
-    npm.on("log", function(message) {
-      console.log('npm: ',message)
-    });
-    npmfn();
-  });
-}
+let npmIsLoaded = false;
+const loadNpm = async () => {
+  if (npmIsLoaded) return;
+  await util.promisify(npm.load)({});
+  npmIsLoaded = true;
+  npm.on('log', (message) => console.log('npm: ', message));
+};
 
 var tasks = 0
 
@@ -34,44 +28,32 @@ function onAllTasksFinished() {
   hooks.aCallAll("restartServer", {}, function() {});
 }
 
-/*
- * We cannot use arrow functions in this file, because code in /src/static
- * can end up being loaded in browsers, and we still support IE11.
- */
-exports.uninstall = function(plugin_name, cb) {
+exports.uninstall = async (pluginName, cb = null) => {
   cb = wrapTaskCb(cb);
-
-  withNpm(function(er) {
-    if (er) return cb && cb(er);
-
-    npm.commands.uninstall([plugin_name], function(er) {
-      if (er) return cb && cb(er);
-      hooks.aCallAll("pluginUninstall", {plugin_name: plugin_name})
-        .then(plugins.update)
-        .then(function() { cb(null) })
-        .catch(function(er) { cb(er) });
-    });
-  });
+  try {
+    await loadNpm();
+    await util.promisify(npm.commands.uninstall)([pluginName]);
+    await hooks.aCallAll('pluginUninstall', {pluginName});
+    await plugins.update();
+  } catch (err) {
+    cb(err || new Error(err));
+    throw err;
+  }
+  cb(null);
 };
 
-/*
- * We cannot use arrow functions in this file, because code in /src/static
- * can end up being loaded in browsers, and we still support IE11.
- */
-exports.install = function(plugin_name, cb) {
+exports.install = async (pluginName, cb = null) => {
   cb = wrapTaskCb(cb);
-
-  withNpm(function(er) {
-    if (er) return cb && cb(er);
-
-    npm.commands.install([plugin_name], function(er) {
-      if (er) return cb && cb(er);
-      hooks.aCallAll("pluginInstall", {plugin_name: plugin_name})
-        .then(plugins.update)
-        .then(function() { cb(null) })
-        .catch(function(er) { cb(er) });
-    });
-  });
+  try {
+    await loadNpm();
+    await util.promisify(npm.commands.install)([pluginName]);
+    await hooks.aCallAll('pluginInstall', {pluginName});
+    await plugins.update();
+  } catch (err) {
+    cb(err || new Error(err));
+    throw err;
+  }
+  cb(null);
 };
 
 exports.availablePlugins = null;
diff --git a/src/static/js/pluginfw/plugins.js b/src/static/js/pluginfw/plugins.js
index 954e1fa99..be16e1781 100644
--- a/src/static/js/pluginfw/plugins.js
+++ b/src/static/js/pluginfw/plugins.js
@@ -44,17 +44,17 @@ exports.formatHooks = function (hook_set_name) {
   return "<dl>" + res.join("\n") + "</dl>";
 };
 
-const callInit = () => {
-  let p = Object.keys(defs.plugins).map(function(plugin_name) {
+const callInit = async () => {
+  await Promise.all(Object.keys(defs.plugins).map(async (plugin_name) => {
     let plugin = defs.plugins[plugin_name];
     let ep_init = path.normalize(path.join(plugin.package.path, ".ep_initialized"));
-    return fs.stat(ep_init).catch(async function() {
+    try {
+      await fs.stat(ep_init);
+    } catch (err) {
       await fs.writeFile(ep_init, 'done');
       await hooks.aCallAll("init_" + plugin_name, {});
-    });
-  });
-
-  return Promise.all(p);
+    }
+  }));
 }
 
 exports.pathNormalization = function (part, hook_fn_name, hook_name) {
@@ -71,16 +71,14 @@ exports.update = async function () {
   var plugins = {};
 
   // Load plugin metadata ep.json
-  let p = Object.keys(packages).map(function (plugin_name) {
-    return loadPlugin(packages, plugin_name, plugins, parts);
-  });
+  await Promise.all(Object.keys(packages).map(
+    async (pluginName) => await loadPlugin(packages, pluginName, plugins, parts)));
 
-  return Promise.all(p).then(function() {
-    defs.plugins = plugins;
-    defs.parts = sortParts(parts);
-    defs.hooks = pluginUtils.extractHooks(defs.parts, 'hooks', exports.pathNormalization);
-    defs.loaded = true;
-  }).then(callInit);
+  defs.plugins = plugins;
+  defs.parts = sortParts(parts);
+  defs.hooks = pluginUtils.extractHooks(defs.parts, 'hooks', exports.pathNormalization);
+  defs.loaded = true;
+  await callInit();
 }
 
 exports.getPackages = async function () {