diff --git a/clients/crunchbase/ui/README.md b/clients/crunchbase/ui/README.md
index a6c67c028d..011734fd62 100644
--- a/clients/crunchbase/ui/README.md
+++ b/clients/crunchbase/ui/README.md
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ go build
 ./server -ldb="/tmp/crunchbasedemo"
 
 cd ../ui
-PYTHONPATH=$GOPATH/src/github.com/attic-labs/noms/tools python build.py
+PYTHONPATH=$GOPATH/src/github.com/attic-labs/noms/tools ./build.py
 ./node_modules/.bin/http-server
 ```
 
diff --git a/clients/crunchbase/ui/build.py b/clients/crunchbase/ui/build.py
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
diff --git a/clients/crunchbase/ui/package.json b/clients/crunchbase/ui/package.json
index 0337620cf4..f473647ac4 100644
--- a/clients/crunchbase/ui/package.json
+++ b/clients/crunchbase/ui/package.json
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
     "eslint": "^1.9.0",
     "eslint-plugin-react": "^3.8.0",
     "flow-bin": "^0.19.1",
+    "http-server": "^0.8.5",
     "webpack": "^1.12.11"
   },
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/clients/splore/README.md b/clients/splore/README.md
index 3ad5313d23..160057cd90 100644
--- a/clients/splore/README.md
+++ b/clients/splore/README.md
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ go build
 ./server -ldb="/tmp/sploretest" &
 
 cd ../splore
-PYTHONPATH=$GOPATH/src/github.com/attic-labs/noms/tools python build.py
+PYTHONPATH=$GOPATH/src/github.com/attic-labs/noms/tools ./build.py
 ./node_modules/.bin/http-server
 ```
 
diff --git a/clients/splore/build.py b/clients/splore/build.py
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
diff --git a/clients/splore/package.json b/clients/splore/package.json
index e16b45f084..355db34d1d 100644
--- a/clients/splore/package.json
+++ b/clients/splore/package.json
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
     "eslint": "^1.9.0",
     "eslint-plugin-react": "^3.8.0",
     "flow-bin": "^0.19.1",
+    "http-server": "^0.8.5",
     "webpack": "^1.12.11"
   },
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/clients/tagshow/README.md b/clients/tagshow/README.md
index 4f157f6602..fe89716e16 100644
--- a/clients/tagshow/README.md
+++ b/clients/tagshow/README.md
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ go build
 ./server -ldb="/tmp/tagshowdemo"
 
 cd ../tagshow
-PYTHONPATH=$GOPATH/src/github.com/attic-labs/noms/tools python build.py
+PYTHONPATH=$GOPATH/src/github.com/attic-labs/noms/tools ./build.py
 ./node_modules/.bin/http-server
 ```
 
diff --git a/clients/tagshow/package.json b/clients/tagshow/package.json
index de57bf1ce5..bfa12228ad 100644
--- a/clients/tagshow/package.json
+++ b/clients/tagshow/package.json
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
     "eslint": "^1.9.0",
     "eslint-plugin-react": "^3.8.0",
     "flow-bin": "^0.19.1",
+    "http-server": "^0.8.5",
     "mocha": "^2.3.0",
     "webpack": "^1.12.11"
   },