diff --git a/.appveyor.yml b/.appveyor.yml
index 5ebd3d2d1f..5f4f17acae 100644
--- a/.appveyor.yml
+++ b/.appveyor.yml
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ environment:
   - MSYSTEM: MINGW64
 
 install:
+  - C:\msys64\usr\bin\bash -lc "pacman --noconfirm -Syu" # update core
+  - C:\msys64\usr\bin\bash -lc "pacman --noconfirm -Su"  # update rest
   # upgrading gcc to 6.x fails
   - C:\msys64\usr\bin\bash -lc "pacman --noconfirm -Suuy mingw-w64-x86_64-ninja mingw-w64-x86_64-cmake git"
 
diff --git a/.appveyor.yml.in b/.appveyor.yml.in
index d10ab72b79..6809ad633a 100644
--- a/.appveyor.yml.in
+++ b/.appveyor.yml.in
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ environment:
   - MSYSTEM: MINGW64
 
 install:
+  - C:\msys64\usr\bin\bash -lc "pacman --noconfirm -Syu" # update core
+  - C:\msys64\usr\bin\bash -lc "pacman --noconfirm -Su"  # update rest
   # upgrading gcc to 6.x fails
   - C:\msys64\usr\bin\bash -lc "pacman --noconfirm -Suuy mingw-w64-x86_64-ninja mingw-w64-x86_64-cmake git"