diff --git a/maharadocs-1.7/debian/maharadocs.postinst b/maharadocs-1.7/debian/maharadocs.postinst
index 5d888f213c476863243f2436c4dec9c8d3e1e951..d244f27337a8036454361c17feeaf7a6e8b752e0 100644
--- a/maharadocs-1.7/debian/maharadocs.postinst
+++ b/maharadocs-1.7/debian/maharadocs.postinst
@@ -24,6 +24,21 @@ case "$1" in
     ;;
 esac
 
+function update_venv {
+    echo "Updating Python virtual environment:"
+    # If the Python virtual environment doesn't exist, try creating it.
+    if [ ! -d $DIRNAME/venv ]; then
+        echo "Virtual environment missing, creating a new one."
+        virtualenv $DIRNAME/venv || \
+            echo "${bold}*** ERROR: failed to create a virtual environment in $DIRNAME/venv${normal}"
+    fi
+
+    echo "${bold}Updating Python virtual environment...${normal}"
+    . $DIRNAME/venv/bin/activate
+    pip install --upgrade -r $DIRNAME/requirements.txt || \
+        echo "${bold}*** ERROR: pip install failed, you may need to use a wheelhouse.${normal}"
+    deactivate
+}
 
 # Check if we seem to have the correct git contents, not very trustworthy
 # but better than no check :D
@@ -36,6 +51,10 @@ then
         # packaging do its thing.
         echo "Data already exists pulling from the correct source."
         echo "Not doing any alteration of $DIRNAME."
+
+        # Update the Python virtual environment first, though
+        update_venv
+
         exit
     else
         # However if it looks wrong, check if its a-ok to overwrite
@@ -85,20 +104,8 @@ else
     exit -1
 fi
 
-# Set up the Python virtual environment
-
-if [ -d $DIRNAME/venv ]
-then
-    echo "Python virtual environment already exists, skipping."
-else
-    echo "${bold}Setting up Python virtual environment...${normal}"
-    # TODO: If this fails, see README about installing from the wheelhouse.
-    virtualenv $DIRNAME/venv
-    . $DIRNAME/venv/bin/activate
-    pip install -r $DIRNAME/requirements.txt || \
-        echo "${bold}*** ERROR: pip install failed, you may need to use a wheelhouse.${normal}"
-    deactivate
-fi
+# Update the Python virtual environment
+update_venv
 
 # Make the sitelogs directory...
 mkdir -p /var/log/sitelogs/mahara-manual-sphinx