--- a/src/modules/packages/main.py
+++ b/src/modules/packages/main.py
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ class PMApk(PackageManager):
             check_target_env_call(["apk", "del", pkg])
 
     def update_db(self):
-        check_target_env_call(["apk", "update"])
+        target_env_process_output(["apk", "update"])
 
     def update_system(self):
         check_target_env_call(["apk", "upgrade", "--available"])
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ class PMApt(PackageManager):
                                "autoremove"])
 
     def update_db(self):
-        check_target_env_call(["apt-get", "update"])
+        target_env_process_output(["apt-get", "update"])
 
     def update_system(self):
         # Doesn't need to update the system explicitly
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ class PMEntropy(PackageManager):
         check_target_env_call(["equo", "rm"] + pkgs)
 
     def update_db(self):
-        check_target_env_call(["equo", "update"])
+        target_env_process_output(["equo", "update"])
 
     def update_system(self):
         # Doesn't need to update the system explicitly
@@ -411,7 +411,7 @@ class PMPackageKit(PackageManager):
             check_target_env_call(["pkcon", "-py", "remove", pkg])
 
     def update_db(self):
-        check_target_env_call(["pkcon", "refresh"])
+        target_env_process_output(["pkcon", "refresh"])
 
     def update_system(self):
         check_target_env_call(["pkcon", "-py", "update"])
@@ -538,7 +538,7 @@ class PMPamac(PackageManager):
 
     def update_db(self):
         self.del_db_lock()
-        check_target_env_call([self.backend, "update", "--no-confirm"])
+        target_env_process_output([self.backend, "update", "--no-confirm"])
 
     def update_system(self):
         self.del_db_lock()
@@ -555,7 +555,7 @@ class PMPisi(PackageManager):
         check_target_env_call(["pisi", "remove", "-y"] + pkgs)
 
     def update_db(self):
-        check_target_env_call(["pisi", "update-repo"])
+        target_env_process_output(["pisi", "update-repo"])
 
     def update_system(self):
         # Doesn't need to update the system explicitly
@@ -573,7 +573,7 @@ class PMPortage(PackageManager):
         check_target_env_call(["emerge", "--depclean", "-q"])
 
     def update_db(self):
-        check_target_env_call(["emerge", "--sync"])
+        target_env_process_output(["emerge", "--sync"])
 
     def update_system(self):
         # Doesn't need to update the system explicitly
@@ -634,7 +634,7 @@ class PMZypp(PackageManager):
                                "remove"] + pkgs)
 
     def update_db(self):
-        check_target_env_call(["zypper", "--non-interactive", "update"])
+        target_env_process_output(["zypper", "--non-interactive", "update"])
 
     def update_system(self):
         # Doesn't need to update the system explicitly
@@ -772,9 +772,13 @@ def run():
             libcalamares.utils.warning(str(e))
             libcalamares.utils.debug("stdout:" + str(e.stdout))
             libcalamares.utils.debug("stderr:" + str(e.stderr))
-            return (_("Package Manager error"),
-                    _("The package manager could not prepare updates. The command <pre>{!s}</pre> returned error code {!s}.")
-                    .format(e.cmd, e.returncode))
+            ignore_cpe = libcalamares.job.configuration.get("ignore_update_db_error", False)
+            if ignore_cpe:
+                libcalamares.utils.warning("Ignoring package manager database update failure.")
+            else:
+                return (_("Package Manager error"),
+                        _("The package manager could not prepare updates. The command <pre>{!s}</pre> returned error code {!s}.")
+                        .format(e.cmd, e.returncode))
 
     update_system = libcalamares.job.configuration.get("update_system", False)
     if update_system and libcalamares.globalstorage.value("hasInternet"):
--- a/src/modules/packages/packages.conf
+++ b/src/modules/packages/packages.conf
@@ -59,8 +59,12 @@ backend: dummy
 # post-installing additional packages may result in conflicts.
 # Therefore set also "update_system" to 'true'.
 #
+# If you want to ignore software database update failures, set
+# "ignore_update_db_error" to 'true'.
+#
 skip_if_no_internet: false
 update_db: true
+ignore_update_db_error: false
 update_system: false
 
 # pacman specific options
--- a/src/modules/packages/packages.schema.yaml
+++ b/src/modules/packages/packages.schema.yaml
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ properties:
     update_db: { type: boolean, default: true }
     update_system: { type: boolean, default: false }
     skip_if_no_internet: { type: boolean, default: false }
+    ignore_update_db_error: { type: boolean, default: false }
 
     pacman:
         additionalProperties: false