diff --git a/tsa/howto/upgrades/buster.md b/tsa/howto/upgrades/buster.md
index 7599368043ac1a7e5e28f23c0441a6b2e01f0ac2..90dd16ebc9496e56df728fd731b70a9aa009c93a 100644
--- a/tsa/howto/upgrades/buster.md
+++ b/tsa/howto/upgrades/buster.md
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ process.
  3. Enable module loading (for ferm) and test reboots:
 
         systemctl disable modules_disabled.timer &&
+        puppet agent --disable "running major upgrade" &&
         shutdown -r +1 "rebooting with module loading enabled"
 
         export LC_ALL=C.UTF-8 &&
@@ -44,7 +45,6 @@ process.
 
  4. Perform any pending upgrade and clear out old pins:
 
-        puppet agent --disable "running major upgrade" &&
         : Check for pinned, on hold, packages, and possibly disable &&
         rm -f /etc/apt/preferences /etc/apt/preferences.d/* &&
         rm -f /etc/apt/sources.list.d/testing.list &&
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ process.
     download packages:
 
         sed -i 's/stretch/buster/g' /etc/apt/sources.list.d/* &&
-        apt update && apt -o APT::Get::Trivial-Only=true dist-upgrade &&
+        (apt update && apt -o APT::Get::Trivial-Only=true dist-upgrade || true ) &&
         df -h &&
         apt -y -d upgrade &&
         apt -y -d dist-upgrade &&