diff --git a/resources/custom.sh b/resources/custom.sh
index c30e288..124b5c0 100755
--- a/resources/custom.sh
+++ b/resources/custom.sh
@@ -2,4 +2,8 @@
 
 set -exu
 
-# Add your additional provisioning here for custom VM images.
+# Install run-time dependencies for the pleasew script (https://github.com/thought-machine/please/blob/master/pleasew).
+ASSUME_ALWAYS_YES=yes pkg install curl
+
+# Install run-time dependencies for Please.
+ASSUME_ALWAYS_YES=yes pkg install bash git
diff --git a/resources/provision.sh b/resources/provision.sh
index 7c8d85b..e531ccc 100755
--- a/resources/provision.sh
+++ b/resources/provision.sh
@@ -124,23 +124,14 @@ install_local_package() {
 }
 
 install_extra_packages() {
-  local pkgs="
-    # Inherited from upstream freebsd-builder:
-    sudo
-    rsync
-    # Additional run-time dependencies for pleasew:
-    bash
-    curl
-    # Additional run-time dependencies for Please:
-    git
-  "
   if upstream_pkg_site_available; then
-    ASSUME_ALWAYS_YES=yes pkg install $(echo "$pkgs" | grep -v '^\s*\(#\|\s*$\)' | sed -e 's/^[[:space:]]*//' | tr '\n' ' ')
+    ASSUME_ALWAYS_YES=yes pkg install sudo bash curl rsync
   else
     bootstrap_pkg
-    echo "$pkgs" | grep -v '^\s*\(#\|\s*$\)' | sed -e 's/^[[:space:]]*//' | while IFS= read -r pkg; do
-      install_local_package "$pkg"
-    done
+    install_local_package sudo
+    install_local_package bash
+    install_local_package curl
+    install_local_package rsync
   fi
 }