diff --git a/tasks/main.yml b/tasks/main.yml
index bb41a0d09d902c4f3da12e1de83d469d6698d7d9..8937bd7468235aa2f5299c810eb8b5b6127e36e6 100644
--- a/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/tasks/main.yml
@@ -8,6 +8,13 @@
         - pelican_gitreceive_public_keys is iterable
         - pelican_gitreceive_output is defined
 
+- name: APT install prerequisites
+  apt:
+      name: python-dev
+      state: present
+      update_cache: yes
+      cache_valid_time: 3600
+
 - name: pip install
   with_items:
       - pelican