diff --git a/shared-overwrite/.github/actions/setup/action.yml b/shared-overwrite/.github/actions/setup/action.yml
index 52bbd26e..9856ecf1 100644
--- a/shared-overwrite/.github/actions/setup/action.yml
+++ b/shared-overwrite/.github/actions/setup/action.yml
@@ -54,6 +54,25 @@ runs:
           # echo "MT_GIT_BRANCH=${GITHUB_REF##*/}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
           echo "MT_GIT_BRANCH=$MT_GIT_BRANCH" >> $GITHUB_ENV
 
+      - name: MT install apt dependencies
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          max_attempts=2
+          for attempt in $(seq 1 ${max_attempts}); do
+            echo "[MT] > Installing apt dependencies (attempt ${attempt}/${max_attempts})..."
+            # can not use '--no-install-recommends' because some of those recommended dependencies are required
+            if timeout 300 sudo apt-get update && timeout 300 sudo apt-get install -y libxml2-utils jq inkscape imagemagick; then
+              echo "[MT] > apt dependencies installed successfully."
+              break
+            elif [[ ${attempt} -lt ${max_attempts} ]]; then
+              echo "[MT] > apt dependencies installation failed or timed out, retrying in 5 seconds..."
+              sleep 5
+            else
+              echo "[MT] > apt dependencies installation failed after ${attempt} attempts."
+              exit 1
+            fi
+          done
+
       - name: MT code sync
         shell: bash
         if: ${{ inputs.code-sync == 'true' }}