diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index ff6872d1d506801db30e800e83f25c4cbe946009..791fa7eec766d1769fa86d6d96ea163ca140a176 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -40,15 +40,20 @@ env:
 script:
   # download data and models, then run tests
   - mkdir -p /tmp/downloads
+  # We download using wget to avoid sporadic SSL error on travis from Python.
   -
     wget
+      $(mhcflurry-downloads url data_curated)
       $(mhcflurry-downloads url models_class1)
       $(mhcflurry-downloads url models_class1_pan)
       $(mhcflurry-downloads url allele_sequences)
       -P /tmp/downloads
+  - ls -lh /tmp/downloads
   -
     mhcflurry-downloads fetch
-    data_curated models_class1 models_class1_pan
+    data_curated
+    models_class1
+    models_class1_pan
     --already-downloaded-dir /tmp/downloads
   - mhcflurry-downloads info  # just to test this command works
   - nosetests --with-timer -sv test