diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index e801322d..0fdd45c8 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ Debian:
   <<: *distro_build
 
 Archlinux:
-  image: base/archlinux
+  image: archlinux/base
   <<: *default_config
   <<: *distro_build
 
diff --git a/ci/install_dependencies.sh b/ci/install_dependencies.sh
index 66acbdd9..d414a419 100755
--- a/ci/install_dependencies.sh
+++ b/ci/install_dependencies.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
-#!/bin/sh
-
-set -e
+#!/bin/sh -e
 
 # Debian & derivatives don't provide binary packages of googletest
 # => have to build them ourselves
@@ -16,6 +14,12 @@ debian_build_gtest() {
     cd ..
 }
 
+# workaround for really bare-bones Archlinux containers:
+if [ -x "$(command -v pacman)" ]; then
+    pacman --noconfirm -Sy
+    pacman --noconfirm -S grep gawk sed
+fi
+
 distro_id=$(grep '^ID=' /etc/os-release|awk -F = '{print $2}'|sed 's/\"//g')
 
 case "$distro_id" in
@@ -31,7 +35,7 @@ case "$distro_id" in
 
     'arch')
         pacman --noconfirm -Sy
-        pacman --noconfirm -S gcc clang cmake make ccache expat zlib libssh curl gtest python dos2unix
+        pacman --noconfirm -S gcc clang cmake make ccache expat zlib libssh curl gtest python dos2unix which diffutils
         ;;
 
     'ubuntu')