diff --git a/scripts/cloudron-setup b/scripts/cloudron-setup
index 7561ac8c5..5b88a3bb5 100755
--- a/scripts/cloudron-setup
+++ b/scripts/cloudron-setup
@@ -13,6 +13,28 @@ vergte() {
     [[ "$1" == "${greater_version}" ]] && return 0 || return 1
 }
 
+# on many vps, apt runs on start up. cloudron-setup fails if it is run immediately on boot
+run_apt_get() {
+    local success=false
+
+    for count in {1..5}; do
+        # we used to check for locks, but there are many locks it seems
+        while pgrep -x "apt-get|apt|dpkg" >/dev/null; do
+            echo -n "=> Waiting for existing apt/dpkg processes to finish..."
+            sleep 30
+        done
+        echo ""
+
+        if DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get "$@" &>> "${LOG_FILE}"; then
+            success=true
+            break
+        fi
+        echo "=> apt-get failed (attempt $count/5), retrying..."
+    done
+
+    [[ "${success}" == "true" ]]
+}
+
 # change this to a hash when we make a upgrade release
 readonly LOG_FILE="/var/log/cloudron-setup.log"
 readonly MINIMUM_DISK_SIZE_GB="18" # this is the size of "/" and required to fit in docker images 18 is a safe bet for different reporting on 20GB min
@@ -167,18 +189,18 @@ echo " Join us at https://forum.cloudron.io for any questions."
 echo ""
 
 echo "=> Updating apt and installing script dependencies"
-if ! apt-get update &>> "${LOG_FILE}"; then
+if ! run_apt_get update; then
     echo "Could not update package repositories. See ${LOG_FILE}"
     exit 1
 fi
 
-if ! DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confdef" -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confold" -y install --no-install-recommends curl python3 ubuntu-standard software-properties-common -y &>> "${LOG_FILE}"; then
-    echo "Could not install setup dependencies (curl). See ${LOG_FILE}"
+if ! run_apt_get -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confdef" -o Dpkg::Options::="--force-confold" -y install --no-install-recommends curl python3 ubuntu-standard software-properties-common; then
+    echo "Could not install setup dependencies. See ${LOG_FILE}"
     exit 1
 fi
 
-echo "=> Validating setup token"
 if [[ -n "${appstoreSetupToken}" ]]; then
+    echo "=> Validating setup token"
     if ! httpCode=$(curl -sX POST -H "Content-type: application/json"  -o /tmp/response.json -w "%{http_code}" --data "{\"setupToken\": \"${appstoreSetupToken}\"}" "${apiServerOrigin}/api/v1/cloudron_setup_done"); then
         echo "Could not reach ${apiServerOrigin} to complete setup"
         exit 1