diff --git a/common/configure_fresh_system b/common/configure_fresh_system
index 5310d341..77e2c914 100755
--- a/common/configure_fresh_system
+++ b/common/configure_fresh_system
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 set -e
 echo
 echo "configuring settings common among OSes"
-sudo true
 #zsh
 chsh -s `which zsh` $USER 
 
diff --git a/ubuntu/configure_fresh_system b/ubuntu/configure_fresh_system
index a611a0a7..8a81be56 100755
--- a/ubuntu/configure_fresh_system
+++ b/ubuntu/configure_fresh_system
@@ -7,12 +7,13 @@ else
     echo "choosing totally noninteractive installation method"
     COMMAND_PREFIX="DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get -y -o Dpkg::Options::=\"--force-confdef\" -o Dpkg::Options::=\"--force-confnew\"";
 fi 
+set -e
 
 sudo apt-get update
 UPGRADE_COMMAND="sudo $COMMAND_PREFIX dist-upgrade"
 eval ${UPGRADE_COMMAND}
 
-$INSTALL_COMMAND="$COMMAND_PREFIX install meld whois zsh tmux vim atop aria2 curl pv pixz gajim tor torsocks nodejs npm terminator gsmartcontrol python-pip mesa-utils mesa-utils-extra aptitude p7zip-full p7zip-rar thunderbird mercurial kdiff3 gnupg2 python3-setuptools aircrack-ng macchanger"
+INSTALL_COMMAND="sudo $COMMAND_PREFIX install meld whois zsh tmux vim atop aria2 curl pv pixz gajim tor torsocks nodejs npm terminator gsmartcontrol python-pip mesa-utils mesa-utils-extra aptitude p7zip-full p7zip-rar thunderbird mercurial kdiff3 gnupg2 python3-setuptools aircrack-ng macchanger"
 eval ${INSTALL_COMMAND}
 
 DIR="$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" && pwd )"