diff --git a/pkg/provisioner/templates/common.go b/pkg/provisioner/templates/common.go
index d829ee2ac..2d882419c 100644
--- a/pkg/provisioner/templates/common.go
+++ b/pkg/provisioner/templates/common.go
@@ -30,25 +30,23 @@ export HOLODECK_ENVIRONMENT=true
 echo "APT::Get::AllowUnauthenticated 1;" | sudo tee /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/99allow-unauthenticated
 
 install_packages_with_retry() {
-    local packages=("$@")
-    local max_retries=5
-    local retry_delay=5
-
-    for ((i=1; i<=$max_retries; i++)); do
-        echo "Attempt $i to install packages: ${packages[@]}"
-        
-        # Attempt to install packages
-        sudo apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends "${packages[@]}"
-
-        # Check if the last command failed and the error is related to unsigned repository
-        if [ $? -ne 0 ] && grep -q 'NO_PUBKEY' <<< "$(tail -n 1 /var/lib/dpkg/status 2>/dev/null)"; then
-            echo "Error: Unsigned repository. Retrying in $retry_delay seconds..."
-            sleep $retry_delay
-        else
-            # Exit loop if installation is successful or the error is not related to unsigned repository
-            break
-        fi
-    done
+	local max_retries=5 retry_delay=5
+	local packages=("$@")
+	
+	for ((i=1; i<=max_retries; i++)); do
+		echo "[$i/$max_retries] apt-get update"
+		if sudo apt-get -o Acquire::Retries=3 update; then
+			echo "[$i/$max_retries] installing: ${packages[*]}"
+			if sudo DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive \
+				   apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends "${packages[@]}"; then
+				return 0            # success
+			fi
+		fi
+		echo "Attempt $i failed; sleeping ${retry_delay}s" >&2
+		sleep "$retry_delay"
+	done
+	echo "All ${max_retries} attempts failed" >&2
+	return 1
 }
 
 with_retry() {
diff --git a/pkg/provisioner/templates/kubernetes.go b/pkg/provisioner/templates/kubernetes.go
index a5239a7cc..79d2586db 100644
--- a/pkg/provisioner/templates/kubernetes.go
+++ b/pkg/provisioner/templates/kubernetes.go
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ with_retry 5 10s kubectl --kubeconfig $KUBECONFIG wait --for=condition=establish
 with_retry 10 15s kubectl --kubeconfig $KUBECONFIG apply -f https://raw.githubusercontent.com/projectcalico/calico/${CALICO_VERSION}/manifests/custom-resources.yaml
 
 # Wait for cluster to be ready
-with_retry 5 10s kubectl --kubeconfig $KUBECONFIG wait --for=condition=ready --timeout=300s nodes --all
+with_retry 10 20s kubectl --kubeconfig $KUBECONFIG wait --for=condition=ready --timeout=300s nodes --all
 
 # Make single-node cluster schedulable
 kubectl taint nodes --all node-role.kubernetes.io/control-plane:NoSchedule-
diff --git a/pkg/provisioner/templates/nv-driver.go b/pkg/provisioner/templates/nv-driver.go
index c9daa1a2d..170754d92 100644
--- a/pkg/provisioner/templates/nv-driver.go
+++ b/pkg/provisioner/templates/nv-driver.go
@@ -28,15 +28,8 @@ import (
 const NvDriverTemplate = `
 # Install Dependencies
 with_retry 3 10s sudo apt-get update
-install_packages_with_retry linux-headers-$(uname -r) gcc make 
-install_packages_with_retry apt-utils build-essential \
-							ca-certificates \
-							curl \
-							kmod \
-							file \
-							libelf-dev \
-							libglvnd-dev \
-							pkg-config
+install_packages_with_retry linux-headers-$(uname -r)
+install_packages_with_retry apt-utils build-essential ca-certificates curl kmod file libelf-dev libglvnd-dev pkg-config make
 
 install_packages_with_retry gcc-12 g++-12 && \
     update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/gcc gcc /usr/bin/gcc-12 12 && \
diff --git a/pkg/provisioner/templates/nv-driver_test.go b/pkg/provisioner/templates/nv-driver_test.go
index b253f7635..1344873da 100644
--- a/pkg/provisioner/templates/nv-driver_test.go
+++ b/pkg/provisioner/templates/nv-driver_test.go
@@ -43,15 +43,8 @@ func TestNVDriverTemplate(t *testing.T) {
 
 # Install Dependencies
 with_retry 3 10s sudo apt-get update
-install_packages_with_retry linux-headers-$(uname -r) gcc make 
-install_packages_with_retry apt-utils build-essential \
-							ca-certificates \
-							curl \
-							kmod \
-							file \
-							libelf-dev \
-							libglvnd-dev \
-							pkg-config
+install_packages_with_retry linux-headers-$(uname -r)
+install_packages_with_retry apt-utils build-essential ca-certificates curl kmod file libelf-dev libglvnd-dev pkg-config make
 
 install_packages_with_retry gcc-12 g++-12 && \
     update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/gcc gcc /usr/bin/gcc-12 12 && \
@@ -86,15 +79,8 @@ nvidia-smi
 			expectedOutput: `
 # Install Dependencies
 with_retry 3 10s sudo apt-get update
-install_packages_with_retry linux-headers-$(uname -r) gcc make 
-install_packages_with_retry apt-utils build-essential \
-							ca-certificates \
-							curl \
-							kmod \
-							file \
-							libelf-dev \
-							libglvnd-dev \
-							pkg-config
+install_packages_with_retry linux-headers-$(uname -r)
+install_packages_with_retry apt-utils build-essential ca-certificates curl kmod file libelf-dev libglvnd-dev pkg-config make
 
 install_packages_with_retry gcc-12 g++-12 && \
     update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/gcc gcc /usr/bin/gcc-12 12 && \
@@ -130,15 +116,8 @@ nvidia-smi
 			expectedOutput: `
 # Install Dependencies
 with_retry 3 10s sudo apt-get update
-install_packages_with_retry linux-headers-$(uname -r) gcc make 
-install_packages_with_retry apt-utils build-essential \
-							ca-certificates \
-							curl \
-							kmod \
-							file \
-							libelf-dev \
-							libglvnd-dev \
-							pkg-config
+install_packages_with_retry linux-headers-$(uname -r)
+install_packages_with_retry apt-utils build-essential ca-certificates curl kmod file libelf-dev libglvnd-dev pkg-config make
 
 install_packages_with_retry gcc-12 g++-12 && \
     update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/gcc gcc /usr/bin/gcc-12 12 && \