diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6733bb23..9276b0ec 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ Also note that you will need a TeX installation with several dependencies: on Wi
 - texlive-xetex
 - texlive-extra-utils
 
-To make life easier, if your distro uses apt-get, just run `sudo apt-get install xzdec libpoppler-glib-dev texlive texlive-xetex texlive-extra-utils`
+To make life easier, if your distro uses apt-get, just run `sudo apt-get update` followed by `sudo apt-get install xzdec libpoppler-glib-dev texlive texlive-xetex texlive-extra-utils`.
 
 You'll also need [pdf2svg](https://github.com/dawbarton/pdf2svg/), which on Windows means that in addition to building this utility from source, you'll all need to put the .exe file somewhere sensible (like `C:\Program Files (x86)\pdf2svg`) add then add that dir to your PATH, so `pdf2svg` can be invoked like any other CLI utility.