diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 812e3356e..772af5c52 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -9,11 +9,12 @@ branches:
 # install libjpeg-dev for PIL to handle JPEGs
 before_install:
   - sudo apt-get update -q -y
-  - sudo apt-get upgrade -q -y
   - sudo apt-get install -q -y libjpeg-dev
   - sudo ln -s /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libjpeg.so /usr/lib
   - sudo ln -s /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libfreetype.so /usr/lib
   - sudo ln -s /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libz.so /usr/lib
+# disabled upgrade: it gives build errors
+#  - sudo apt-get upgrade -q -y
 # command to install dependencies
 install:
   - pip install -r requirements.txt --use-mirrors