diff --git a/archlabs-installer b/archlabs-installer
index 48b197b..2d00e27 100755
--- a/archlabs-installer
+++ b/archlabs-installer
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 # shellcheck disable=SC2086,SC2046,SC2254
 
-VER=2.1.45
+VER=2.1.46
 
 # default values {
 
@@ -1793,16 +1793,13 @@ install_packages()
 	# remove the packages we don't want on the installed system
 	[[ ${rmpkg[*]} ]] && chrun "pacman -Rnsc ${rmpkg[*]} --noconfirm"
 
-	# install crucial packages first to avoid issues
-	chrun "pacman -S ${loginpkg[*]} $NEWSHELL $UCODE $KERNEL --noconfirm --needed" 2> "$ERR" 2>&1
-	errshow 1 "chrun 'pacman -S ${loginpkg[*]} $NEWSHELL $UCODE $KERNEL --noconfirm --needed'"
+	# install crucial packages first to avoid issues, reinstalling iputils fixes network issues for non-root users
+	chrun "pacman -S $KERNEL $UCODE iputils --noconfirm" 2> "$ERR" 2>&1
+	errshow 1 "chrun 'pacman -S $KERNEL $UCODE iputils --noconfirm'"
 
-	# reinstalling iputils fixes the network issue for non-root users
-	chrun "pacman -S iputils --noconfirm"
-
-	# install the packages chosen throughout the install plus extras added
-	chrun "pacman -S ${inpkg[*]} --needed --noconfirm" 2> "$ERR" 2>&1
-	errshow 1 "chrun 'pacman -S ${inpkg[*]} --needed --noconfirm'"
+	# install the packages chosen throughout the install plus any extras added
+	chrun "pacman -S ${inpkg[*]} ${loginpkg[*]} $NEWSHELL --needed --noconfirm" 2> "$ERR" 2>&1
+	errshow 1 "chrun 'pacman -S ${inpkg[*]}${loginpkg[*]} $NEWSHELL --needed --noconfirm'"
 
 	# bootloader packages
 	if [[ $BOOTLDR == 'grub' ]]; then
@@ -1993,13 +1990,14 @@ install_background()
 
 	(
 		install_mirrorlist "/etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist" > /tmp/bgout 2>&1
+
 		if [[ $PACSTRAP == 1 ]]; then
+			pacman -Sy >> /tmp/bgout 2>&1
 			pacstrap /mnt >> /tmp/bgout 2>&1
 		else
 			rsync -avh /run/archiso/sfs/airootfs/ "$MNT/" >> /tmp/bgout 2>&1
 		fi
 
-		pacman -Sy >> /tmp/bgout 2>&1
 		cp /etc/pacman.conf "$MNT/etc/pacman.conf"
 		cp /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist "$MNT/etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist"
 		al_repo "$MNT/etc/pacman.conf"
@@ -2007,7 +2005,8 @@ install_background()
 		if [[ $PACSTRAP == 1 ]]; then
 			chrun "pacman -S ${ISO_PKGS[*]} $net $luks --noconfirm --needed" >> /tmp/bgout 2>&1
 		else
-			chrun "pacman -Syyu $net --noconfirm --needed" >> /tmp/bgout 2>&1
+			chrun "pacman -Sy" >> /tmp/bgout 2>&1
+			chrun "pacman -S $net --noconfirm --needed" >> /tmp/bgout 2>&1
 		fi
 
 		if [[ $net == "networkmanager" ]]; then