diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 83bfe07c8..b073fd29d 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -19,18 +19,10 @@ jobs:
       env: TASK=java_test
 
 # dependent brew packages
+# the dependencies from homebrew is installed manually from setup script due to outdated image from travis.
 addons:
   homebrew:
-    packages:
-      - cmake
-      - libomp
-      - graphviz
-      - openssl
-      - libgit2
-      - lz4
-      - wget
-      - r
-    update: true
+    update: false
   apt:
     packages:
       - snapd
diff --git a/tests/ci_build/conda_env/macos_cpu_test.yml b/tests/ci_build/conda_env/macos_cpu_test.yml
index feb102ec2..6a9092b2b 100644
--- a/tests/ci_build/conda_env/macos_cpu_test.yml
+++ b/tests/ci_build/conda_env/macos_cpu_test.yml
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ dependencies:
 - matplotlib
 - dask
 - distributed
+- graphviz
 - python-graphviz
 - hypothesis
 - astroid
diff --git a/tests/travis/run_test.sh b/tests/travis/run_test.sh
index ee38061a1..3c100e99b 100755
--- a/tests/travis/run_test.sh
+++ b/tests/travis/run_test.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-make -f dmlc-core/scripts/packages.mk lz4
-
 source $HOME/miniconda/bin/activate
 
 if [ ${TASK} == "python_sdist_test" ]; then
diff --git a/tests/travis/setup.sh b/tests/travis/setup.sh
index 5d5929d4b..3ce285ed2 100755
--- a/tests/travis/setup.sh
+++ b/tests/travis/setup.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
+# https://travis-ci.community/t/macos-build-fails-because-of-homebrew-bundle-unknown-command/7296/27
+brew install cmake libomp lz4
+
+
 if [ ${TASK} == "python_test" ] || [ ${TASK} == "python_sdist_test" ]; then
     if [ ${TRAVIS_OS_NAME} == "osx" ]; then
         wget --no-verbose -O conda.sh https://repo.anaconda.com/miniconda/Miniconda3-latest-MacOSX-x86_64.sh