diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-docs.yml b/.github/workflows/test-docs.yml
index eb83d33b..97bdfa60 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-docs.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-docs.yml
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Install requirements
         run: |
-          pip install -r docs/requirements.txt pytest
+          pip install -e . -r docs/requirements.txt pytest
 
       - name: pytest docs/
         run: |
diff --git a/.readthedocs.yaml b/.readthedocs.yaml
index 1b783e0a..432093fd 100644
--- a/.readthedocs.yaml
+++ b/.readthedocs.yaml
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ build:
 
 python:
   install:
+    - path: .
     - requirements: docs/requirements.txt
 
 formats:
diff --git a/docs/requirements.txt b/docs/requirements.txt
index 54683842..5f174d5a 100644
--- a/docs/requirements.txt
+++ b/docs/requirements.txt
@@ -1,13 +1,6 @@
-# We install the jupyterhub package to help autodoc-traits inspect it and
-# generate documentation.
-#
-# FIXME: If there is a way for this requirements.txt file to pass a flag that
-#        the build system can intercept to not build the javascript artifacts,
-#        then do so so. That would mean that installing the documentation can
-#        avoid needing node/npm installed.
-#
---editable .
-
+# docs also require jupyterhub itself to be installed
+# don't depend on it here, as that often results in a duplicate
+# installation of jupyterhub that's already installed
 autodoc-traits
 jupyterhub-sphinx-theme
 myst-parser>=0.19