diff --git a/system/t06_publish/snapshot.py b/system/t06_publish/snapshot.py
index 3557ed2d..2b22a883 100644
--- a/system/t06_publish/snapshot.py
+++ b/system/t06_publish/snapshot.py
@@ -40,9 +40,9 @@ class PublishSnapshot1Test(BaseTest):
         self.check_file_contents('public/dists/maverick/Release', 'release', match_prepare=strip_processor)
 
         # verify signatures
-        self.run_cmd(["gpg", "--keyring", os.path.join(os.path.dirname(inspect.getsourcefile(BaseTest)), "files", "aptly.pub"),
+        self.run_cmd(["gpg", "--no-auto-check-trustdb", "--keyring", os.path.join(os.path.dirname(inspect.getsourcefile(BaseTest)), "files", "aptly.pub"),
                       "--verify", os.path.join(os.environ["HOME"], ".aptly", 'public/dists/maverick/InRelease')])
-        self.run_cmd(["gpg",  "--keyring", os.path.join(os.path.dirname(inspect.getsourcefile(BaseTest)), "files", "aptly.pub"),
+        self.run_cmd(["gpg", "--no-auto-check-trustdb",  "--keyring", os.path.join(os.path.dirname(inspect.getsourcefile(BaseTest)), "files", "aptly.pub"),
                       "--verify", os.path.join(os.environ["HOME"], ".aptly", 'public/dists/maverick/Release.gpg'),
                       os.path.join(os.environ["HOME"], ".aptly", 'public/dists/maverick/Release')])
 
@@ -402,9 +402,9 @@ class PublishSnapshot16Test(BaseTest):
         self.check_file_contents('public/dists/maverick/main/source/Sources', 'sources', match_prepare=lambda s: "\n".join(sorted(s.split("\n"))))
 
         # verify signatures
-        self.run_cmd(["gpg", "--keyring", os.path.join(os.path.dirname(inspect.getsourcefile(BaseTest)), "files", "aptly.pub"),
+        self.run_cmd(["gpg", "--no-auto-check-trustdb", "--keyring", os.path.join(os.path.dirname(inspect.getsourcefile(BaseTest)), "files", "aptly.pub"),
                       "--verify", os.path.join(os.environ["HOME"], ".aptly", 'public/dists/maverick/InRelease')])
-        self.run_cmd(["gpg",  "--keyring", os.path.join(os.path.dirname(inspect.getsourcefile(BaseTest)), "files", "aptly.pub"),
+        self.run_cmd(["gpg", "--no-auto-check-trustdb",  "--keyring", os.path.join(os.path.dirname(inspect.getsourcefile(BaseTest)), "files", "aptly.pub"),
                       "--verify", os.path.join(os.environ["HOME"], ".aptly", 'public/dists/maverick/Release.gpg'),
                       os.path.join(os.environ["HOME"], ".aptly", 'public/dists/maverick/Release')])
 
@@ -447,9 +447,9 @@ class PublishSnapshot17Test(BaseTest):
         self.check_file_contents('public/dists/maverick/main/binary-i386/Packages', 'binary', match_prepare=lambda s: "\n".join(sorted(s.split("\n"))))
 
         # verify signatures
-        self.run_cmd(["gpg", "--keyring", os.path.join(os.path.dirname(inspect.getsourcefile(BaseTest)), "files", "aptly.pub"),
+        self.run_cmd(["gpg", "--no-auto-check-trustdb", "--keyring", os.path.join(os.path.dirname(inspect.getsourcefile(BaseTest)), "files", "aptly.pub"),
                       "--verify", os.path.join(os.environ["HOME"], ".aptly", 'public/dists/maverick/InRelease')])
-        self.run_cmd(["gpg",  "--keyring", os.path.join(os.path.dirname(inspect.getsourcefile(BaseTest)), "files", "aptly.pub"),
+        self.run_cmd(["gpg", "--no-auto-check-trustdb",  "--keyring", os.path.join(os.path.dirname(inspect.getsourcefile(BaseTest)), "files", "aptly.pub"),
                       "--verify", os.path.join(os.environ["HOME"], ".aptly", 'public/dists/maverick/Release.gpg'),
                       os.path.join(os.environ["HOME"], ".aptly", 'public/dists/maverick/Release')])
 
diff --git a/utils/gpg.go b/utils/gpg.go
index 989e8fa3..efe152e0 100644
--- a/utils/gpg.go
+++ b/utils/gpg.go
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ func (g *GpgSigner) SetKeyRing(keyring, secretKeyring string) {
 func (g *GpgSigner) gpgArgs() []string {
 	args := []string{}
 	if g.keyring != "" {
-		args = append(args, "--no-default-keyring", "--keyring", g.keyring)
+		args = append(args, "--no-auto-check-trustdb", "--no-default-keyring", "--keyring", g.keyring)
 	}
 	if g.secretKeyring != "" {
 		args = append(args, "--secret-keyring", g.secretKeyring)
@@ -69,9 +69,9 @@ func (g *GpgSigner) gpgArgs() []string {
 
 // Init verifies availability of gpg & presence of keys
 func (g *GpgSigner) Init() error {
-	output, err := exec.Command("gpg", "--list-keys").Output()
+	output, err := exec.Command("gpg", "--list-keys", "--dry-run", "--no-auto-check-trustdb").CombinedOutput()
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("unable to execute gpg: %s (is gpg installed?)", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("unable to execute gpg: %s (is gpg installed?): %s", err, string(output))
 	}
 
 	if g.keyring == "" && g.secretKeyring == "" && len(output) == 0 {
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ func (g *GpgVerifier) InitKeyring() error {
 
 	if len(g.keyRings) == 0 {
 		// using default keyring
-		output, err := exec.Command("gpg", "--no-default-keyring", "--keyring", "trustedkeys.gpg", "--list-keys").Output()
+		output, err := exec.Command("gpg", "--no-default-keyring", "--no-auto-check-trustdb", "--keyring", "trustedkeys.gpg", "--list-keys").Output()
 		if err == nil && len(output) == 0 {
 			fmt.Printf("\nLooks like your keyring with trusted keys is empty. You might consider importing some keys.\n")
 			fmt.Printf("If you're running Debian or Ubuntu, it's a good idea to import current archive keys by running:\n\n")
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ func (g *GpgVerifier) ExtractClearsigned(clearsigned io.Reader) (text *os.File,
 	}
 	defer os.Remove(text.Name())
 
-	args := []string{"--decrypt", "--batch", "--skip-verify", "--output", "-", clearf.Name()}
+	args := []string{"--no-auto-check-trustdb", "--decrypt", "--batch", "--skip-verify", "--output", "-", clearf.Name()}
 
 	cmd := exec.Command("gpg", args...)
 	stdout, err := cmd.StdoutPipe()