diff --git a/scripts/setup/configure-rabbitmq b/scripts/setup/configure-rabbitmq
index 18ba83effe..da3baa5a95 100755
--- a/scripts/setup/configure-rabbitmq
+++ b/scripts/setup/configure-rabbitmq
@@ -3,8 +3,9 @@
 # Delete the "guest" default user and replace it with a Zulip user
 # with a real password
 
-rabbitmqctl delete_user zulip || true
-rabbitmqctl delete_user guest
-rabbitmqctl add_user zulip $($(dirname $0)/../../bin/get-django-setting RABBITMQ_PASSWORD)
-rabbitmqctl set_user_tags zulip administrator
-rabbitmqctl set_permissions -p / zulip '.*' '.*' '.*'
+RMQPW=$($(dirname $0)/../../bin/get-django-setting RABBITMQ_PASSWORD)
+sudo rabbitmqctl delete_user zulip || true
+sudo rabbitmqctl delete_user guest
+sudo rabbitmqctl add_user zulip $RMQPW
+sudo rabbitmqctl set_user_tags zulip administrator
+sudo rabbitmqctl set_permissions -p / zulip '.*' '.*' '.*'