--- a/indy_node/utils/node_control_tool.py	2018-01-30 16:28:34.000000000 +0100
+++ b/indy_node/utils/node_control_tool.py	2018-01-30 17:39:24.603319237 +0100
@@ -272,7 +271,8 @@ class NodeControlTool:
                               timeout=timeout)
 
     def start(self):
-        self._hold_packages()
+        if shutil.which("apt-mark"):
+            self._hold_packages()
 
         # Sockets from which we expect to read
         readers = [self.server]