diff --git a/divingbell/templates/bin/_apt.sh.tpl b/divingbell/templates/bin/_apt.sh.tpl
index 4d0cb7c..293bb98 100644
--- a/divingbell/templates/bin/_apt.sh.tpl
+++ b/divingbell/templates/bin/_apt.sh.tpl
@@ -59,9 +59,25 @@ load_package_list_with_versions $(dpkg -l | awk 'NR>5 {print $2"="$3}')
 
 {{- if hasKey .Values.conf "apt" }}
 {{- if hasKey .Values.conf.apt "packages" }}
+apt-get update
+
+# Set all debconf selections up front
 {{- range .Values.conf.apt.packages }}
-if [[ "${CURRENT_PACKAGES[{{ .name | squote }}]+isset}" != "isset"{{- if .version }} || "${CURRENT_PACKAGES[{{ .name | squote }}]}" != {{ .version | squote }}{{- end }} ]]; then
-    apt-get install -y{{ if .repo }} -t {{ .repo | squote }}{{ end }} {{ .name | squote -}} {{- if .version }}={{ .version | squote }}{{ end }}
+{{- $pkg_name := .name }}
+{{- range .debconf }}
+    debconf-set-selections <<< "{{ $pkg_name }} {{ .question }} {{ .question_type }} {{ .answer }}"
+{{- end }}
+{{- end }}
+
+# Run dpkg in case of interruption of previous dpkg operation
+dpkg --configure -a
+
+# Perform package installs
+{{- range .Values.conf.apt.packages }}
+{{- $pkg_name := .name }}
+if [[ "${CURRENT_PACKAGES[{{ .name | squote }}]+isset}" != "isset"{{- if .version }} || "${CURRENT_PACKAGES[{{ .name | squote }}]}" != {{ .version }}{{- end }} ]]; then
+    # Run this in case some package installation was interrupted
+    DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get install -y -o Dpkg::Options::=--force-confdef -o Dpkg::Options::=--force-confold{{- if .repo }} -t {{ .repo }}{{ end }} {{ .name -}} {{- if .version }}={{ .version }}{{ end }}
     INSTALLED_THIS_TIME="$INSTALLED_THIS_TIME {{ .name }}"
 fi
 REQUESTED_PACKAGES="$REQUESTED_PACKAGES {{ .name }}"
@@ -80,6 +96,7 @@ if [ -f ${persist_path}/packages ]; then
     TO_DELETE=$(comm -23 ${persist_path}/packages ${persist_path}/packages.requested)
     TO_KEEP=$(echo "$TO_DELETE" | comm -23 ${persist_path}/packages -)
     if [ ! -z "$TO_DELETE" ]; then
+        dpkg --configure -a
         for pkg in "$TO_DELETE"; do
             apt-get purge -y $pkg
         done
@@ -102,6 +119,7 @@ fi
 ######################################################
 
 {{- if hasKey .Values.conf.apt "blacklistpkgs" }}
+dpkg --configure -a
 {{- range .Values.conf.apt.blacklistpkgs }}
   {{- $package := . }}
   apt-get remove --autoremove -y {{ $package | squote }}
diff --git a/doc/source/index.rst b/doc/source/index.rst
index 2546e72..2fa9353 100644
--- a/doc/source/index.rst
+++ b/doc/source/index.rst
@@ -158,6 +158,18 @@ Here is an example configuration for it::
           version: <VERSION1>
         - name: <PACKAGE2>
 
+It is also possible to provide debconf settings for packages the following
+way::
+
+    conf:
+      apt:
+        packages:
+        - name: openssh-server
+          debconf:
+          - question: openssh-server/permit-root-login
+            question_type: boolean
+            answer: false
+
 Operations
 ----------
 
diff --git a/tools/gate/scripts/020-test-divingbell.sh b/tools/gate/scripts/020-test-divingbell.sh
index 110ed17..1f57bea 100755
--- a/tools/gate/scripts/020-test-divingbell.sh
+++ b/tools/gate/scripts/020-test-divingbell.sh
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ USERNAME4=userfour
 USERNAME4_SUDO=false
 APT_PACKAGE1=python-pbr
 APT_VERSION1=1.8.0-4ubuntu1
-APT_PACKAGE2=python-yaml
+APT_PACKAGE2=mysql-server
 APT_PACKAGE3=python-simplejson
 APT_VERSION3=3.8.1-1ubuntu2
 APT_PACKAGE4=less
@@ -804,12 +804,25 @@ test_apt(){
   apt:
     packages:
     - name: $APT_PACKAGE2
+      debconf:
+      - question: mysql-server/root_password
+        question_type: password
+        answer: rootpw
+      - question: mysql-server/root_password_again
+        question_type: password
+        answer: rootpw
     - name: $APT_PACKAGE3
       version: $APT_VERSION3" > "${overrides_yaml}"
   install_base "--values=${overrides_yaml}"
   get_container_status apt
   _test_apt_package_version $APT_PACKAGE1 none
   _test_apt_package_version $APT_PACKAGE2 any
+  # Each entry in passwords.dat contains question value in Name and Template
+  # field, so grepping root_password should return 4 lines
+  if [[ $(grep root_password /var/cache/debconf/passwords.dat | wc -l) != 4 ]]; then
+    echo "[FAIL] Package $APT_PACKAGE2 should have debconf values configured" >> "${TEST_RESULTS}"
+    return 1
+  fi
   _test_apt_package_version $APT_PACKAGE3 $APT_VERSION3
   echo '[SUCCESS] apt test2 passed successfully' >> "${TEST_RESULTS}"