diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index c39f6ba9..e3ca05fa 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -38,3 +38,5 @@ docs/source/reference/metrics.rst
 oldest-requirements.txt
 jupyterhub-proxy.pid
 examples/server-api/service-token
+
+*.hot-update*
diff --git a/jsx/package.json b/jsx/package.json
index 30a6a396..103fd0a5 100644
--- a/jsx/package.json
+++ b/jsx/package.json
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@
   "license": "BSD-3-Clause",
   "scripts": {
     "build": "webpack",
+    "build:watch": "webpack watch",
     "hot": "webpack && webpack-dev-server",
-    "place": "cp build/admin-react.js* ../share/jupyterhub/static/js/",
     "test": "jest --verbose",
     "snap": "jest --updateSnapshot",
     "lint": "eslint --ext .jsx --ext .js src/",
diff --git a/jsx/webpack.config.js b/jsx/webpack.config.js
index 604975a4..27ef1cc5 100644
--- a/jsx/webpack.config.js
+++ b/jsx/webpack.config.js
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ module.exports = {
   output: {
     publicPath: "/",
     filename: "admin-react.js",
-    path: path.resolve(__dirname, "build"),
+    path: path.resolve(__dirname, "../share/jupyterhub/static/js/"),
   },
   resolve: {
     extensions: [".css", ".js", ".jsx"],
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index ee71096d..4fdc4069 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -215,13 +215,6 @@ class JSX(BaseCommand):
             shell=shell,
         )
 
-        print("Copying JSX admin app to static/js")
-        check_call(
-            ["npm", "run", "place"],
-            cwd=self.jsx_dir,
-            shell=shell,
-        )
-
         # update data-files in case this created new files
         self.distribution.data_files = get_data_files()
         assert not self.should_run(), 'JSX.run failed'