diff --git a/TODO.md b/TODO.md
index 901e61d..feeff5d 100644
--- a/TODO.md
+++ b/TODO.md
@@ -21,6 +21,12 @@ fmt-check, and commit.
 
 # Completed Steps
 
+- 2026-10-06: The canonical `script/bootstrap` now runs `apt-get update` once,
+  before the first `apt-get install` of a run (issue 115). The Gitea runner
+  image starts with empty package lists, so installing anything it lacks, such
+  as Go, failed with `Unable to locate package`. A repository's own section no
+  longer needs a refresh of its own; `sneak/bsfirehose` and `sneak/dnswatcher`
+  drop theirs at their next re-vendor.
 - 2026-10-06: `REPO_POLICIES.md` and both checklists now say that a checkout
   whose `.git` is a file, a linked worktree or a repository checked out as a
   submodule, is the exception to a plain `docker build .` succeeding (issue
diff --git a/script/bootstrap b/script/bootstrap
index 3c5ce34..799f256 100755
--- a/script/bootstrap
+++ b/script/bootstrap
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ YARN_VERSION="1.22.22"
 
 PKGMGR=""
 SUDO=""
+APT_UPDATED=""
 
 detect_pkgmgr() {
     [ -n "$PKGMGR" ] && return 0
@@ -47,7 +48,14 @@ pkg_install() {
     detect_pkgmgr
     case "$PKGMGR" in
         nix) nix-env -iA "nixpkgs.$1" ;;
-        apt) $SUDO env DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get install -y "$2" ;;
+        apt)
+            # Package lists may be empty (fresh images); refresh once per run.
+            if [ -z "$APT_UPDATED" ]; then
+                $SUDO env DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get update
+                APT_UPDATED=1
+            fi
+            $SUDO env DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get install -y "$2"
+            ;;
         brew) brew install "$3" ;;
         apk) apk add --no-cache "$4" ;;
     esac