diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 0fe45e8..1280960 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -5,13 +5,14 @@ language: python
 env:
   - PYVERSION=3.5 USE_CYTHON=TRUE MAKE_DOC=TRUE
 before_install:
-  - "export DISPLAY=:99.0"
-  - "sh -e /etc/init.d/xvfb start"
+  - export MPLBACKEND='Agg'
   - wget https://repo.continuum.io/miniconda/Miniconda3-latest-Linux-x86_64.sh -O miniconda.sh
   - chmod +x miniconda.sh
   - ./miniconda.sh -b
   - export PATH=/home/travis/miniconda3/bin:$PATH
-  - conda update --yes conda
+  - conda config --set always_yes yes
+  - conda install -c anaconda setuptools
+  - conda update -q conda
   - conda info -a
 install:
   - wget -q https://raw.githubusercontent.com/qiime2/environment-files/master/latest/staging/qiime2-latest-py36-linux-conda.yml