diff --git a/docs/installers/apt.sh b/docs/installers/apt.sh
index ed2cfaaa58..c9e9ce1e1b 100755
--- a/docs/installers/apt.sh
+++ b/docs/installers/apt.sh
@@ -1,88 +1,91 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
-echo "Detecting architecture...";
-MACHINE_MTYPE="$(uname -m)";
-ARCH="${MACHINE_MTYPE}";
-REPO_VENDOR="headmelted";
+#check for root priv
+if [ "$(id -u)" != "0" ]; then
+	echo "This installation script must be executed as root (i.e. run via sudo). Exiting" >&2
+	exit 1
+fi
 
-echo "Ensuring curl is installed";
-apt-get install -y curl;
+MACHINE_MTYPE="$(uname -m)"
+ARCH="${MACHINE_MTYPE}"
+REPO_VENDOR="headmelted"
+DEPENDENCIES=""
 
-if [ "$ARCH" = "amd64" ] || [ "$ARCH" = "i386" ]; then REPO_VENDOR="microsoft"; fi;
+if [ "$ARCH" = "amd64" ] || [ "$ARCH" = "i386" ]; then REPO_VENDOR="microsoft"; fi
 
-echo "Architecture detected as $ARCH...";
+echo "Architecture detected as $ARCH..."
+
+echo "Updating APT cache..."
+if apt-get -qq update; then
+  echo "Update complete."
+else
+  echo "Update failed."
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+#test what dependencies need to be installed
+test -f "/usr/share/doc/apt-transport-https/copyright" || DEPENDENCIES="${DEPENDENCIES} apt-transport-https"
+sudo command -v update-ca-certificates >/dev/null 2>&1 || DEPENDENCIES="${DEPENDENCIES} ca-certificates"
+command -v curl >/dev/null 2>&1 || DEPENDENCIES="${DEPENDENCIES} curl"
+command -v git >/dev/null 2>&1 || DEPENDENCIES="${DEPENDENCIES} git"
+command -v gpg-agent >/dev/null 2>&1 || DEPENDENCIES="${DEPENDENCIES} gnupg-agent"
+
+if [ "X${DEPENDENCIES}" != "X" ]; then
+  echo "Installing dependencies: ${DEPENDENCIES}" >&2
+  apt-get -f -qq -y install "${DEPENDENCIES}" >/dev/null 2>&1
+fi
 
 if [ "${REPO_VENDOR}" = "headmelted" ]; then
-  gpg_key=https://packagecloud.io/headmelted/codebuilds/gpgkey;
-  repo_name="stretch";
-  repo_entry="deb https://packagecloud.io/headmelted/codebuilds/debian/ ${repo_name} main";
-  code_executable_name="code-oss";
+  gpg_key=https://packagecloud.io/headmelted/codebuilds/gpgkey
+  repo_name="stretch"
+  repo_entry="deb https://packagecloud.io/headmelted/codebuilds/debian/ ${repo_name} main"
+  code_executable_name="code-oss"
 else
-  gpg_key=https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc;
+  gpg_key=https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc
   repo_name="stable"
-  repo_entry="deb https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/vscode ${repo_name} main";
-  code_executable_name="code-insiders";
-fi;
+  repo_entry="deb https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/vscode ${repo_name} main"
+  code_executable_name="code-insiders"
+fi
 
-echo "Retrieving GPG key [${REPO_VENDOR}] ($gpg_key)...";
-curl -L $gpg_key | gpg --dearmor > /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/${REPO_VENDOR}_vscode.gpg;
+echo "Retrieving GPG key [${REPO_VENDOR}] ($gpg_key)..."
+curl -fsSL $gpg_key | sudo apt-key add -
 
-echo "Removing any previous entry to headmelted repository";
-rm -rf /etc/apt/sources.list.d/headmelted_codebuilds.list;
-rm -rf /etc/apt/sources.list.d/codebuilds.list;
+echo "Removing any previous entry to headmelted repository"
+rm -rf /etc/apt/sources.list.d/headmelted_codebuilds.list
+rm -rf /etc/apt/sources.list.d/codebuilds.list
   
-echo "Installing [${REPO_VENDOR}] repository...";
-echo "${repo_entry}" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/${REPO_VENDOR}_vscode.list;
+echo "Installing [${REPO_VENDOR}] repository..."
+echo "${repo_entry}" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/${REPO_VENDOR}_vscode.list
   
-echo "Updating APT cache..."
-apt-get update -yq;
-echo "Done!"
-
-if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
-  echo "Repository install complete.";
-else
-  echo "Repository install failed.";
-  exit 1;
-fi;
-
-echo "Installing Visual Studio Code from [${repo_name}]...";
-apt-get install -t ${repo_name} -y ${code_executable_name};
-#apt-get install -t ${repo_name} -y --allow-unauthenticated ${code_executable_name};
-
-if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
-  echo "Visual Studio Code install complete.";
+echo "Refreshing APT cache again..."
+if apt-get -qq update; then
+  echo "Repository install complete."
 else
-  echo "Visual Studio Code install failed.";
-  exit 1;
-fi;
-
-echo "Installing git...";
-apt-get install -y git;
+  echo "Repository install failed."
+  exit 1
+fi
 
-if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
-  echo "git install complete.";
+echo "Installing Visual Studio Code from [${repo_name}] (this may take several minutes)..."
+if apt-get install -t ${repo_name} -y -qq ${code_executable_name}; then
+  echo "Visual Studio Code install complete."
 else
-  echo "git install failed.";
-  exit 1;
-fi;
+  echo "Visual Studio Code install failed."
+  exit 1
+fi
 
-echo "Installing any dependencies that may have been missed...";
-apt-get install -y -f;
-
-if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
-  echo "Missed dependency install complete.";
+echo "Installing any dependencies that may have been missed..."
+if apt-get install -y -qq -f; then
+  echo "Missed dependency install complete."
 else
-  echo "Missed dependency install failed.";
-  exit 1;
-fi;
+  echo "Missed dependency install failed."
+  exit 1
+fi
 
 echo "
-
 Installation complete!
 
 You can start code at any time by calling \"${code_executable_name}\" within a terminal.
 
 A shortcut should also now be available in your desktop menus (depending on your distribution).
 
-";
-
+"