diff --git a/src/server/library/sysadm-pkg.cpp b/src/server/library/sysadm-pkg.cpp
index c47118c..0f95886 100644
--- a/src/server/library/sysadm-pkg.cpp
+++ b/src/server/library/sysadm-pkg.cpp
@@ -327,10 +327,14 @@ QJsonArray PKG::list_categories(QString repo){
   else{ return QJsonArray(); }
 }
 
-QJsonArray PKG::list_repos(){
+QJsonArray PKG::list_repos(bool updated){
   QString dbdir = "/var/db/pkg/repo-%1.sqlite";
   QDir confdir("/usr/local/etc/pkg/repos");
     QStringList confs = confdir.entryList(QStringList() << "*.conf", QDir::Files);
+  if(confs.isEmpty() && !updated){
+    QProcess::execute("pkg update"); //need to update pkg configs
+    return list_repos(true); //try again recursively (will not try to update again)
+  }
   QStringList found;
   found << "local"; //There is always a local database (for installed pkgs)
   for(int i=0; i<confs.length(); i++){
diff --git a/src/server/library/sysadm-pkg.h b/src/server/library/sysadm-pkg.h
index 5d8d3f8..5f84267 100644
--- a/src/server/library/sysadm-pkg.h
+++ b/src/server/library/sysadm-pkg.h
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ public:
 	static QJsonObject pkg_info(QStringList origins, QString repo, QString category = "", bool fullresults = true);
 	static QStringList pkg_search(QString repo, QString searchterm, QStringList searchexcludes, QString category = "");
 	static QJsonArray list_categories(QString repo);
-	static QJsonArray list_repos();
+	static QJsonArray list_repos(bool updated = false);
 
 	//pkg modification routines (dispatcher events for notifications)
 	static QJsonObject pkg_install(QStringList origins, QString repo);