diff --git a/labs/scripts/setup_lbaas_controller.sh b/labs/scripts/setup_lbaas_controller.sh
index c0629c8a..4ebdbc90 100755
--- a/labs/scripts/setup_lbaas_controller.sh
+++ b/labs/scripts/setup_lbaas_controller.sh
@@ -36,6 +36,23 @@ function check_dashboard_settings {
 echo "Checking dashboard configuration."
 check_dashboard_settings
 
+function check_apache_service {
+    # Check if apache service is down, if not force retry a couple of times.
+    sleep 10
+    i=0
+    until service apache2 status | grep 'not running'; do
+        sudo service apache2 stop
+        sleep 10
+        i ++
+        if [ $i -gt 3 ]
+        then
+            break
+        fi
+    done
+}
+
 echo "Reloading apache and memcached service."
-sudo service apache2 restart
+sudo service apache2 stop
+check_apache_service
+sudo service apache2 start
 sudo service memcached restart
diff --git a/labs/scripts/ubuntu/apt_init.sh b/labs/scripts/ubuntu/apt_init.sh
index 96605951..17861af8 100755
--- a/labs/scripts/ubuntu/apt_init.sh
+++ b/labs/scripts/ubuntu/apt_init.sh
@@ -50,9 +50,20 @@ function ubuntu_cloud_archive {
         -o Dir::Etc::sourceparts="-" -o APT::Get::List-Cleanup="0"
 }
 
+function apache_fix {
+
+    # On '$service apache2 restart', apache will use a text browser to check
+    # connectivity on '127.0.0.1' or 'localhost'. Apache needs www-browser
+    # (/etc/alternatives/www-browser) virtual package to carry out this check.
+    # Include a basic text browser to preemptively avoid this error.
+    sudo apt-get -y install w3m
+
+}
+
 # precise needs the cloud archive, and so does trusty for non-Icehouse releases
 if grep -qs DISTRIB_CODENAME=precise /etc/lsb-release ||
         [ "$OPENSTACK_RELEASE" != "icehouse" ]; then
     echo "Enabling the Ubuntu cloud archive."
     ubuntu_cloud_archive
+    apache_fix
 fi
diff --git a/labs/scripts/ubuntu/setup_horizon.sh b/labs/scripts/ubuntu/setup_horizon.sh
index 2ba1cfe8..ffc1c37e 100755
--- a/labs/scripts/ubuntu/setup_horizon.sh
+++ b/labs/scripts/ubuntu/setup_horizon.sh
@@ -53,6 +53,22 @@ function check_dashboard_settings {
 echo "Checking dashboard configuration."
 check_dashboard_settings
 
+function check_apache_service {
+    # Check if apache service is down, if not force retry a couple of times.
+    sleep 10
+    i=0
+    until service apache2 status | grep 'not running'; do
+        sudo service apache2 stop
+        sleep 10
+        i ++
+        if [ $i -gt 3]
+        then
+            break
+        fi
+    done
+}
+
 echo "Reloading apache and memcached service."
-sudo service apache2 restart
+sudo service apache2 stop
+check_apache_service
 sudo service memcached restart