diff --git a/.github/workflows/xahau-ga-nix.yml b/.github/workflows/xahau-ga-nix.yml
index e32437feb..b46325841 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/xahau-ga-nix.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/xahau-ga-nix.yml
@@ -268,6 +268,9 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Install build dependencies
         run: |
+          # Bump apt's default 3 retries; papers over short upstream blips
+          # like the recurring ppa.launchpadcontent.net outages.
+          echo 'Acquire::Retries "5";' > /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/80-retries
           apt-get update
           apt-get install -y software-properties-common
           add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-toolchain-r/test -y