diff --git a/utils/lib.sh b/utils/lib.sh
index e9bfc929..50f15a69 100755
--- a/utils/lib.sh
+++ b/utils/lib.sh
@@ -1090,6 +1090,28 @@ touch "/.lxcenv"
 ls -l "/.lxcenv"
 EOF
 }
+
+# apt packages
+LXC_BASE_PACKAGES_debian="git build-essential"
+
+# pacman packages
+LXC_BASE_PACKAGES_arch="git base-devel"
+
+# dnf packages
+LXC_BASE_PACKAGES_fedora="git @development-tools"
+
+case $DIST_ID in
+    ubuntu|debian) LXC_BASE_PACKAGES="${LXC_BASE_PACKAGES_debian}" ;;
+    arch)          LXC_BASE_PACKAGES="${LXC_BASE_PACKAGES_arch}" ;;
+    fedora)        LXC_BASE_PACKAGES="${LXC_BASE_PACKAGES_fedora}" ;;
+    *) err_msg "$DIST_ID-$DIST_VERS: pkg_install LXC_BASE_PACKAGES not yet implemented" ;;
+esac
+
+lxc_install_base_packages() {
+    info_msg "install LXC_BASE_PACKAGES in container $1"
+    pkg_install "${LXC_BASE_PACKAGES}"
+}
+
 lxc_exists(){
 
     # usage: lxc_exists <name> || echo "container <name> does not exists"
diff --git a/utils/lxc.sh b/utils/lxc.sh
index 56450c4d..6070735e 100755
--- a/utils/lxc.sh
+++ b/utils/lxc.sh
@@ -82,10 +82,10 @@ usage::
   $_cmd [start|stop] [containers|<name>]
   $_cmd show         [info|config|suite|images]
   $_cmd cmd          [--|<name>] '...'
-  $_cmd install      [suite|buildhost]
+  $_cmd install      [suite|base|buildhost]
 
 build
-  :containers:   build & launch all LXC containers of the suite
+  :containers:   build, launch and 'install basic' packages on 'containers'
 copy:
   :images:       copy remote images of the suite into local storage
 remove
@@ -105,7 +105,8 @@ cmd
   :<name>:       run command '...' in container <name>
 install
   :suite:        install LXC suite; ${lxc_suite_install_info}
-  :buildhost:    prepare LXC; buildhost
+  :base:         prepare LXC; install basic packages
+  :buildhost:    prepare LXC; install buildhost packages
 
 EOF
     usage_images
@@ -217,6 +218,7 @@ main() {
             esac
             ;;
         __show)
+            # wrapped show commands, called once in each container
             case $2 in
                 suite) lxc_suite_info ;;
             esac
@@ -238,14 +240,17 @@ main() {
         install)
             sudo_or_exit
             case $2 in
-                suite) lxc_exec "${LXC_REPO_ROOT}/utils/lxc.sh" __install suite;;
-                buildhost) lxc_exec "${LXC_REPO_ROOT}/utils/lxc.sh" __install buildhost;;
+                suite|base|buildhost)
+                    lxc_exec "${LXC_REPO_ROOT}/utils/lxc.sh" __install $2
+                    ;;
                 *) usage "$_usage"; exit 42 ;;
             esac
             ;;
         __install)
+            # wrapped install commands, called once in each container
             case $2 in
                 suite) lxc_suite_install ;;
+                base) FORCE_TIMEOUT=0 lxc_install_base_packages ;;
                 buildhost) lxc_suite_prepare_buildhost ;;
             esac
             ;;
@@ -269,6 +274,8 @@ build_instances() {
     lxc_config_containers
     lxc_boilerplate_containers
     echo
+    lxc_exec "${LXC_REPO_ROOT}/utils/lxc.sh" __install base
+    echo
     lxc list "$LXC_HOST_PREFIX"
 }