diff --git a/compile.sh b/compile.sh
index f3544c4ee..8cfed7b69 100755
--- a/compile.sh
+++ b/compile.sh
@@ -130,26 +130,19 @@ else
 	exit $?
 fi
 
+if [ "$OFFLINE_WORK" == "yes" ]; then
 
-# Check for required packages
-if [[ -z "$(command -v dialog)" ]]; then
-	sudo apt-get update
-	sudo apt-get install -y dialog
-fi
+	echo -e "\n"
+	display_alert "* " "You are working offline."
+	display_alert "* " "Sources, time and host will not be checked"
+	echo -e "\n"
+	sleep 3s
 
-if [[ -z "$(command -v fuser)" ]]; then
-	sudo apt-get update
-	sudo apt-get install -y psmisc
-fi
+else
 
-if [[ -z "$(command -v getfacl)" ]]; then
-	sudo apt-get update
-	sudo apt-get install -y acl
-fi
+	# check and install the basic utilities here
+	prepare_host_basic
 
-if [[ -z "$(command -v uuidgen)" ]]; then
-	sudo apt-get update
-	sudo apt-get install -y uuid-runtime
 fi
 
 # Check for Vagrant
@@ -193,14 +186,6 @@ if [[ "${1}" == docker && -f /etc/debian_version && -z "$(command -v docker)" ]]
 	display_alert "Docker not installed." "Installing" "Info"
 	echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture)] https://download.docker.com/linux/${codeid} ${codename} stable" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list
 
-	# minimal set of utilities that are needed for prep
-	packages=("curl" "gnupg")
-	for i in "${packages[@]}"
-	do
-	[[ ! $(command -v "${i}") ]] && install_packages+=${i}" "
-	done
-	[[ -z "${install_packages}" ]] && apt-get update;apt-get install -y -qq --no-install-recommends ${install_packages}
-
 	curl -fsSL "https://download.docker.com/linux/${codeid}/gpg" | apt-key add -qq - > /dev/null 2>&1
 	export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
 	apt-get update
diff --git a/lib/general.sh b/lib/general.sh
index 082f52afc..472aed11c 100644
--- a/lib/general.sh
+++ b/lib/general.sh
@@ -968,22 +968,26 @@ wait_for_package_manager()
 
 
 
-
 # prepare_host_basic
 #
 # * installs only basic packages
 #
 prepare_host_basic()
 {
-	# wait until package manager finishes possible system maintanace
-	wait_for_package_manager
+	# the checklist includes a list of package names separated by a space
+	local checklist="dialog psmisc acl uuid-runtime curl gnupg gawk"
 
-	# need to install dialog if person is starting with a interactive mode
+	# Don't use this function here.
+	# wait_for_package_manager
+	#
+	# The `psmisk` package is not installed yet.
+
+	# We will check one package and install the entire list.
 	if [[ $(dpkg-query -W -f='${db:Status-Abbrev}\n' dialog 2>/dev/null) != *ii* ]]; then
-		display_alert "Installing package" "dialog"
-		apt-get -q update && apt-get install -q -y --no-install-recommends dialog
+		display_alert "Installing basic packages" "$checklist"
+		apt-get -qq update && \
+		apt-get install -qq -y --no-install-recommends $checklist
 	fi
-
 }
 
 
@@ -1092,7 +1096,7 @@ prepare_host()
 	grep -q i386 <(dpkg --print-foreign-architectures) || dpkg --add-architecture i386
 # build aarch64
   fi
-  
+
 	if systemd-detect-virt -q -c; then
 		display_alert "Running in container" "$(systemd-detect-virt)" "info"
 		# disable apt-cacher unless NO_APT_CACHER=no is not specified explicitly
diff --git a/lib/main.sh b/lib/main.sh
index da08ed2b6..c6c5b16c4 100644
--- a/lib/main.sh
+++ b/lib/main.sh
@@ -151,26 +151,6 @@ fi
 
 
 
-
-if [ "$OFFLINE_WORK" == "yes" ]; then
-
-	echo -e "\n"
-	display_alert "* " "You are working offline."
-	display_alert "* " "Sources, time and host will not be checked"
-	echo -e "\n"
-	sleep 3s
-
-else
-
-	# we need dialog to display the menu in case not installed. Other stuff gets installed later
-	prepare_host_basic
-
-fi
-
-
-
-
-
 # if KERNEL_ONLY, KERNEL_CONFIGURE, BOARD, BRANCH or RELEASE are not set, display selection menu
 if [[ -z $KERNEL_ONLY ]]; then