diff --git a/launcher.py b/launcher.py
index 56668da57..23c5e48ec 100644
--- a/launcher.py
+++ b/launcher.py
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ def parse_cli_arguments():
 
 
 def install_reqs(audio):
+    remove_reqs_readonly()
     interpreter = sys.executable
 
     if interpreter is None:
@@ -116,6 +117,7 @@ def update_pip():
 
 
 def update_red():
+    remove_reqs_readonly()
     try:
         code = subprocess.call(("git", "pull", "--ff-only"))
     except FileNotFoundError:
@@ -421,6 +423,18 @@ def remove_readonly(func, path, excinfo):
     func(path)
 
 
+def remove_reqs_readonly():
+    """Workaround for issue #569"""
+    if not os.path.isdir(REQS_DIR):
+        return
+    os.chmod(REQS_DIR, stat.S_IWRITE)
+    for root, dirs, files in os.walk(REQS_DIR):
+        for d in dirs:
+            os.chmod(os.path.join(root, d), stat.S_IWRITE)
+        for f in files:
+            os.chmod(os.path.join(root, f), stat.S_IWRITE)
+
+
 def calculate_md5(filename):
     hash_md5 = hashlib.md5()
     with open(filename, "rb") as f: