diff --git a/tools/setup/bootstrap-aws-installer b/tools/setup/bootstrap-aws-installer
index c864fdc82a..e4d9fd7b80 100644
--- a/tools/setup/bootstrap-aws-installer
+++ b/tools/setup/bootstrap-aws-installer
@@ -21,9 +21,6 @@ echo "$HOSTNAME" >/etc/hostname
 hostname "$HOSTNAME"
 sed -i "s/localhost$/localhost $HOSTNAME $SERVER/" /etc/hosts
 
-# Delete the ubuntu user
-userdel ubuntu
-
 # Make sure root doesn't have a password
 passwd -d root
 
@@ -96,4 +93,7 @@ git -C zulip checkout "$BRANCH"
 
 install_keys zulip
 
+# Delete the ubuntu user
+userdel ubuntu
+
 reboot