diff --git a/xwords4/linux/Makefile b/xwords4/linux/Makefile
index 9c1cb511c..aa0afa97d 100644
--- a/xwords4/linux/Makefile
+++ b/xwords4/linux/Makefile
@@ -276,6 +276,7 @@ REQUIRED_DEBS = gcc libgtk-3-dev \
 		libcurl4-openssl-dev \
 		libjson-c-dev \
 		libgtk-3-dev \
+		python3-requests \
 
 .PHONY: debcheck debs_install
 
diff --git a/xwords4/relay/xwrelay.sh b/xwords4/relay/xwrelay.sh
index a143e959c..2b3b67d3f 100755
--- a/xwords4/relay/xwrelay.sh
+++ b/xwords4/relay/xwrelay.sh
@@ -17,7 +17,18 @@ usage() {
     echo "usage: $0 start | stop | restart | mkdb | debs_install"
 }
 
+setup_user() {
+    sudo -u postgres createuser --createdb $USER || true
+    if id | grep -q postgres; then
+	echo "user $USER already member of postgres group"
+    else
+	echo "adding $USER to group postgres; will need to login again to take advantage"
+	sudo usermod -a -G postgres $USER
+    fi
+}
+
 make_db() {
+    setup_user
     if [ ! -e $CONFFILE ]; then
         echo "unable to find $CONFFILE"
         exit 1
@@ -116,7 +127,7 @@ do_start() {
 }
 
 install_debs() {
-    sudo apt-get install postgresql-client postgresql
+    sudo apt-get install postgresql-client postgresql libpq-dev
 }
 
 case $1 in