diff --git a/archlabs-installer b/archlabs-installer
index 8877cbc..63b5557 100755
--- a/archlabs-installer
+++ b/archlabs-installer
@@ -1578,6 +1578,8 @@ install_packages()
 	local rmpkg=""
 	local inpkg="$PACKAGES $USER_PKGS"
 
+	[[ -x $MNT/usr/bin/X ]] || inpkg+=" $BASE_PKGS"
+
 	if pacman -Qsq 'archlabs-installer' >/dev/null 2>&1; then
 		rmpkg+=" archlabs-installer"
 	elif [[ -e "$MNT/usr/bin/archlabs-installer" ]]; then
@@ -1706,7 +1708,7 @@ install_background()
 		yesno "Background Install" "\nBegin install in the background?\n" || return 0
 		rsync -a /run/archiso/sfs/airootfs/ $MNT/ &
 		RSYNC_PID=$!
-		( install_mirrorlist "$MNT/etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist"; chrun "pacman -Syyu $BASE_PKGS --needed --noconfirm" >> /tmp/bg_out 2>&1 ) &
+		( install_mirrorlist "$MNT/etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist" && sleep 1 && mkdir -p $MNT/var/lib/pacman && chrun "pacman -Syyu $BASE_PKGS --needed --noconfirm" >> /tmp/bg_out 2>&1 ) &
 		MIRROR_PID=$!
 		# end the background processes before exiting
 		trap "kill $RSYNC_PID $MIRROR_PID 2>/dev/null" EXIT