diff --git a/make/projects-dir.mk b/make/projects-dir.mk
index 028cf62d..b554b39f 100644
--- a/make/projects-dir.mk
+++ b/make/projects-dir.mk
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ else
   CVS_PROJECTS = $(filter $(dir $(wildcard */CVS)),$(PROJECTS))
 endif
 
+BASE_PACKAGES = ssh cvs git make sudo
+
 EXCLUDE_FROM_BUILD += \
 	dspider-btools \
 	dspider-shared \
@@ -127,10 +129,10 @@ pkg-manager-refresh:
 	$(PKG_MANAGER_SH) refresh -y
 
 pkg-install-prereq-build:
-	$(PKG_MANAGER_SH) install -y $(shell $(PROJECTS_PY) requires-pkg --flavours "build" $(BUILD_PROJECTS))
+	$(PKG_MANAGER_SH) install -y $(BASE_PACKAGES) $(shell $(PROJECTS_PY) requires-pkg --flavours "build" $(BUILD_PROJECTS))
 
 pkg-install-prereq-release:
-	$(PKG_MANAGER_SH) install -y $(shell $(PROJECTS_PY) requires-pkg --flavours "build run release" $(BUILD_PROJECTS))
+	$(PKG_MANAGER_SH) install -y $(BASE_PACKAGES) $(shell $(PROJECTS_PY) requires-pkg --flavours "build run release" $(BUILD_PROJECTS))
 
 pkg-exclude-built-today:
 	touch $(EXCLUDES_FILE)