diff --git a/worker/worker b/worker/worker
index 0821c19..563999c 100755
--- a/worker/worker
+++ b/worker/worker
@@ -278,6 +278,7 @@ def request(msg):
     if c:
         argv += c.strip().split()
 
+    argv.append('--apt-upgrade')
     c = cfg.get('autopkgtest', 'setup_command').strip()
     if c:
         c = subst(c, autopkgtest_checkout, big_pkg, release, architecture, pkgname)
@@ -343,7 +344,6 @@ def request(msg):
                 if trigs:
                     pocket_arg += '=' + ','.join(trigs)
             argv.append(pocket_arg)
-        argv.append('--apt-upgrade')
 
     # determine which test to run
     if 'test-git' in params: