diff --git a/packages/playwright-core/bin/reinstall_chrome_beta_linux.sh b/packages/playwright-core/bin/reinstall_chrome_beta_linux.sh
index ccdad55339..63e9253dc0 100755
--- a/packages/playwright-core/bin/reinstall_chrome_beta_linux.sh
+++ b/packages/playwright-core/bin/reinstall_chrome_beta_linux.sh
@@ -7,26 +7,23 @@ if [[ $(arch) == "aarch64" ]]; then
   exit 1
 fi
 
-is_user_root () { [ "${EUID:-$(id -u)}" -eq 0 ]; }
-if is_user_root; then
-  maybesudo=""
-else
-  maybesudo="sudo"
-fi
-
 # 1. make sure to remove old beta if any.
 if dpkg --get-selections | grep -q "^google-chrome-beta[[:space:]]*install$" >/dev/null; then
-  $maybesudo apt-get remove -y google-chrome-beta
+  apt-get remove -y google-chrome-beta
 fi
 
+# 2. Update apt lists (needed to install curl and chrome dependencies)
+apt-get update
+
+# 3. Install curl to download chrome
 if ! command -v curl >/dev/null; then
-  $maybesudo apt-get install -y curl
+  apt-get install -y curl
 fi
 
-# 2. download chrome beta from dl.google.com and install it.
+# 4. download chrome beta from dl.google.com and install it.
 cd /tmp
 curl -O https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-beta_current_amd64.deb
-$maybesudo apt-get install -y ./google-chrome-beta_current_amd64.deb
+apt-get install -y ./google-chrome-beta_current_amd64.deb
 rm -rf ./google-chrome-beta_current_amd64.deb
 cd -
 google-chrome-beta --version
diff --git a/packages/playwright-core/bin/reinstall_chrome_stable_linux.sh b/packages/playwright-core/bin/reinstall_chrome_stable_linux.sh
index eac37f3436..57269bd5fe 100755
--- a/packages/playwright-core/bin/reinstall_chrome_stable_linux.sh
+++ b/packages/playwright-core/bin/reinstall_chrome_stable_linux.sh
@@ -7,27 +7,23 @@ if [[ $(arch) == "aarch64" ]]; then
   exit 1
 fi
 
-is_user_root () { [ "${EUID:-$(id -u)}" -eq 0 ]; }
-if is_user_root; then
-  maybesudo=""
-else
-  maybesudo="sudo"
-fi
-
-
 # 1. make sure to remove old stable if any.
 if dpkg --get-selections | grep -q "^google-chrome[[:space:]]*install$" >/dev/null; then
-  $maybesudo apt-get remove -y google-chrome
+  apt-get remove -y google-chrome
 fi
 
+# 2. Update apt lists (needed to install curl and chrome dependencies)
+apt-get update
+
+# 3. Install curl to download chrome
 if ! command -v curl >/dev/null; then
-  $maybesudo apt-get install -y curl
+  apt-get install -y curl
 fi
 
-# 2. download chrome stable from dl.google.com and install it.
+# 4. download chrome stable from dl.google.com and install it.
 cd /tmp
 curl -O https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb
-$maybesudo apt-get install -y ./google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb
+apt-get install -y ./google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb
 rm -rf ./google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb
 cd -
 google-chrome --version
diff --git a/packages/playwright-core/bin/reinstall_msedge_beta_linux.sh b/packages/playwright-core/bin/reinstall_msedge_beta_linux.sh
index e41e96c350..ff19e52173 100755
--- a/packages/playwright-core/bin/reinstall_msedge_beta_linux.sh
+++ b/packages/playwright-core/bin/reinstall_msedge_beta_linux.sh
@@ -8,25 +8,22 @@ if [[ $(arch) == "aarch64" ]]; then
   exit 1
 fi
 
-is_user_root () { [ "${EUID:-$(id -u)}" -eq 0 ]; }
-if is_user_root; then
-  maybesudo=""
-else
-  maybesudo="sudo"
-fi
-
+# 1. make sure to remove old beta if any.
 if dpkg --get-selections | grep -q "^microsoft-edge-beta[[:space:]]*install$" >/dev/null; then
-  $maybesudo apt-get remove -y microsoft-edge-beta
+  apt-get remove -y microsoft-edge-beta
 fi
 
+# 2. Install curl to download Microsoft gpg key
 if ! command -v curl >/dev/null; then
-  $maybesudo apt-get install -y curl
+  apt-get update
+  apt-get install -y curl
 fi
 
+# 3. Add the GPG key, the apt repo, update the apt cache, and install the package
 curl https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc | gpg --dearmor > /tmp/microsoft.gpg
-$maybesudo install -o root -g root -m 644 /tmp/microsoft.gpg /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/
-$maybesudo sh -c 'echo "deb [arch=amd64] https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/edge stable main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/microsoft-edge-dev.list'
+install -o root -g root -m 644 /tmp/microsoft.gpg /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/
+sh -c 'echo "deb [arch=amd64] https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/edge stable main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/microsoft-edge-dev.list'
 rm /tmp/microsoft.gpg
-$maybesudo apt-get update && $maybesudo apt-get install -y microsoft-edge-beta
+apt-get update && apt-get install -y microsoft-edge-beta
 
 microsoft-edge-beta --version
diff --git a/packages/playwright-core/bin/reinstall_msedge_dev_linux.sh b/packages/playwright-core/bin/reinstall_msedge_dev_linux.sh
index d201154884..9c3447fe69 100755
--- a/packages/playwright-core/bin/reinstall_msedge_dev_linux.sh
+++ b/packages/playwright-core/bin/reinstall_msedge_dev_linux.sh
@@ -8,25 +8,22 @@ if [[ $(arch) == "aarch64" ]]; then
   exit 1
 fi
 
-is_user_root () { [ "${EUID:-$(id -u)}" -eq 0 ]; }
-if is_user_root; then
-  maybesudo=""
-else
-  maybesudo="sudo"
-fi
-
+# 1. make sure to remove old dev if any.
 if dpkg --get-selections | grep -q "^microsoft-edge-dev[[:space:]]*install$" >/dev/null; then
-  $maybesudo apt-get remove -y microsoft-edge-dev
+  apt-get remove -y microsoft-edge-dev
 fi
 
+# 2. Install curl to download Microsoft gpg key
 if ! command -v curl >/dev/null; then
-  $maybesudo apt-get install -y curl
+  apt-get update
+  apt-get install -y curl
 fi
 
+# 3. Add the GPG key, the apt repo, update the apt cache, and install the package
 curl https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc | gpg --dearmor > /tmp/microsoft.gpg
-$maybesudo install -o root -g root -m 644 /tmp/microsoft.gpg /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/
-$maybesudo sh -c 'echo "deb [arch=amd64] https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/edge stable main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/microsoft-edge-dev.list'
+install -o root -g root -m 644 /tmp/microsoft.gpg /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/
+sh -c 'echo "deb [arch=amd64] https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/edge stable main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/microsoft-edge-dev.list'
 rm /tmp/microsoft.gpg
-$maybesudo apt-get update && $maybesudo apt-get install -y microsoft-edge-dev
+apt-get update && apt-get install -y microsoft-edge-dev
 
 microsoft-edge-dev --version
diff --git a/packages/playwright-core/bin/reinstall_msedge_stable_linux.sh b/packages/playwright-core/bin/reinstall_msedge_stable_linux.sh
index 19628cac8b..19dc354b26 100755
--- a/packages/playwright-core/bin/reinstall_msedge_stable_linux.sh
+++ b/packages/playwright-core/bin/reinstall_msedge_stable_linux.sh
@@ -8,25 +8,22 @@ if [[ $(arch) == "aarch64" ]]; then
   exit 1
 fi
 
-is_user_root () { [ "${EUID:-$(id -u)}" -eq 0 ]; }
-if is_user_root; then
-  maybesudo=""
-else
-  maybesudo="sudo"
-fi
-
+# 1. make sure to remove old stable if any.
 if dpkg --get-selections | grep -q "^microsoft-edge-stable[[:space:]]*install$" >/dev/null; then
-  $maybesudo apt-get remove -y microsoft-edge-stable
+  apt-get remove -y microsoft-edge-stable
 fi
 
+# 2. Install curl to download Microsoft gpg key
 if ! command -v curl >/dev/null; then
-  $maybesudo apt-get install -y curl
+  apt-get update
+  apt-get install -y curl
 fi
 
+# 3. Add the GPG key, the apt repo, update the apt cache, and install the package
 curl https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc | gpg --dearmor > /tmp/microsoft.gpg
-$maybesudo install -o root -g root -m 644 /tmp/microsoft.gpg /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/
-$maybesudo sh -c 'echo "deb [arch=amd64] https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/edge stable main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/microsoft-edge-stable.list'
+install -o root -g root -m 644 /tmp/microsoft.gpg /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/
+sh -c 'echo "deb [arch=amd64] https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/edge stable main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/microsoft-edge-stable.list'
 rm /tmp/microsoft.gpg
-$maybesudo apt-get update && $maybesudo apt-get install -y microsoft-edge-stable
+apt-get update && apt-get install -y microsoft-edge-stable
 
 microsoft-edge-stable --version
diff --git a/packages/playwright-core/src/utils/dependencies.ts b/packages/playwright-core/src/utils/dependencies.ts
index 0b69b36e31..7f18ea3aac 100644
--- a/packages/playwright-core/src/utils/dependencies.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright-core/src/utils/dependencies.ts
@@ -70,11 +70,13 @@ export async function installDependenciesLinux(targets: Set<DependencyGroup>, dr
   commands.push(['apt-get', 'install', '-y', '--no-install-recommends',
     ...uniqueLibraries,
   ].join(' '));
-  const [command, args] = await buildAptProcessArgs(commands);
+  const { command, args, elevatedPermissions } = await utils.transformCommandsForRoot(commands);
   if (dryRun) {
     console.log(`${command} ${quoteProcessArgs(args).join(' ')}`); // eslint-disable-line no-console
     return;
   }
+  if (elevatedPermissions)
+    console.log('Switching to root user to install dependencies...'); // eslint-disable-line no-console
   const child = childProcess.spawn(command, args, { stdio: 'inherit' });
   await new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
     child.on('exit', resolve);
@@ -82,16 +84,6 @@ export async function installDependenciesLinux(targets: Set<DependencyGroup>, dr
   });
 }
 
-async function buildAptProcessArgs(commands: string[]): Promise<[string, string[]]> {
-  const isRoot = process.getuid() === 0;
-  if (isRoot)
-    return ['sh', ['-c', `${commands.join('&& ')}`]];
-  const sudoExists = await utils.spawnAsync('which', ['sudo']);
-  if (sudoExists.code === 0)
-    return ['sudo', ['--', 'sh', '-c', `${commands.join('&& ')}`]];
-  return ['su', ['root', '-c', `${commands.join('&& ')}`]];
-}
-
 export async function validateDependenciesWindows(windowsExeAndDllDirectories: string[]) {
   const directoryPaths = windowsExeAndDllDirectories;
   const lddPaths: string[] = [];
diff --git a/packages/playwright-core/src/utils/registry.ts b/packages/playwright-core/src/utils/registry.ts
index 777e564d10..fa5964b304 100644
--- a/packages/playwright-core/src/utils/registry.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright-core/src/utils/registry.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ import * as util from 'util';
 import * as fs from 'fs';
 import lockfile from 'proper-lockfile';
 import { getUbuntuVersion } from './ubuntuVersion';
-import { getFromENV, getAsBooleanFromENV, calculateSha1, removeFolders, existsAsync, hostPlatform, canAccessFile, spawnAsync, fetchData, wrapInASCIIBox } from './utils';
+import { getFromENV, getAsBooleanFromENV, calculateSha1, removeFolders, existsAsync, hostPlatform, canAccessFile, spawnAsync, fetchData, wrapInASCIIBox, transformCommandsForRoot } from './utils';
 import { DependencyGroup, installDependenciesLinux, installDependenciesWindows, validateDependenciesLinux, validateDependenciesWindows } from './dependencies';
 import { downloadBrowserWithProgressBar, logPolitely } from './browserFetcher';
 
@@ -645,16 +645,25 @@ export class Registry {
     const scriptName = scripts[process.platform as 'linux' | 'darwin' | 'win32'];
     if (!scriptName)
       throw new Error(`Cannot install ${channel} on ${process.platform}`);
+    const cwd = BIN_PATH;
     const isPowerShell = scriptName.endsWith('.ps1');
-    const shell = isPowerShell ? 'powershell.exe' : 'bash';
-    const args = [
-      ...(isPowerShell ? ['-ExecutionPolicy', 'Bypass', '-File'] : []),
-      path.join(BIN_PATH, scriptName),
-      ...scriptArgs
-    ];
-    const { code } = await spawnAsync(shell, args, { cwd: BIN_PATH, stdio: 'inherit' });
-    if (code !== 0)
-      throw new Error(`Failed to install ${channel}`);
+    if (isPowerShell) {
+      const args = [
+        '-ExecutionPolicy', 'Bypass', '-File',
+        path.join(BIN_PATH, scriptName),
+        ...scriptArgs
+      ];
+      const { code } = await spawnAsync('powershell.exe', args, { cwd, stdio: 'inherit' });
+      if (code !== 0)
+        throw new Error(`Failed to install ${channel}`);
+    } else {
+      const { command, args, elevatedPermissions } = await transformCommandsForRoot([`bash ${path.join(BIN_PATH, scriptName)} ${scriptArgs.join('')}`]);
+      if (elevatedPermissions)
+        console.log('Switching to root user to install dependencies...'); // eslint-disable-line no-console
+      const { code } = await spawnAsync(command, args, { cwd, stdio: 'inherit' });
+      if (code !== 0)
+        throw new Error(`Failed to install ${channel}`);
+    }
   }
 
   private async _validateInstallationCache(linksDir: string) {
diff --git a/packages/playwright-core/src/utils/utils.ts b/packages/playwright-core/src/utils/utils.ts
index 2e36790f4b..2fd7339ea1 100644
--- a/packages/playwright-core/src/utils/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright-core/src/utils/utils.ts
@@ -520,3 +520,13 @@ export function streamToString(stream: stream.Readable): Promise<string> {
     stream.on('end', () => resolve(Buffer.concat(chunks).toString('utf8')));
   });
 }
+
+export async function transformCommandsForRoot(commands: string[]): Promise<{ command: string, args: string[], elevatedPermissions: boolean}> {
+  const isRoot = process.getuid() === 0;
+  if (isRoot)
+    return { command: 'sh', args: ['-c', `${commands.join('&& ')}`], elevatedPermissions: false };
+  const sudoExists = await spawnAsync('which', ['sudo']);
+  if (sudoExists.code === 0)
+    return { command: 'sudo', args: ['--', 'sh', '-c', `${commands.join('&& ')}`], elevatedPermissions: true };
+  return { command: 'su', args: ['root', '-c', `${commands.join('&& ')}`], elevatedPermissions: true };
+}