diff --git a/tools/build/beinstall.sh b/tools/build/beinstall.sh
index 9c0e93491c0d..cd325dafc805 100755
--- a/tools/build/beinstall.sh
+++ b/tools/build/beinstall.sh
@@ -82,6 +82,14 @@ unmount_be() {
 	mount | grep " on ${BE_MNTPT}" | awk '{print $3}' | sort -r | xargs -t umount -f
 }
 
+copy_pkgs() {
+	# Before cleaning up, try to save progress in pkg(8) updates, to
+	# speed up future updates.  This is only called on the error path;
+	# no need to run on success.
+	echo "Rsyncing back newly saved packages..."
+	rsync -av --progress ${BE_MNTPT}/var/cache/pkg/. /var/cache/pkg/.
+}
+
 cleanup_be() {
 	# Before destroying, unmount any child filesystems that may have
 	# been mounted under the boot environment.  Sort them in reverse
@@ -225,6 +233,10 @@ if [ -n "${CONFIG_UPDATER}" ]; then
 	[ $? -ne 0 ] && errx "${CONFIG_UPDATER} (post-world) failed!"
 fi
 
+if which rsync >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+	cleanup_commands="copy_pkgs ${cleanup_commands}"
+fi
+
 BE_PKG="chroot ${BE_MNTPT} env ASSUME_ALWAYS_YES=true pkg"
 if [ -z "${NO_PKG_UPGRADE}" ]; then
 	${BE_PKG} update || errx "Unable to update pkg"