diff --git a/archinstall/lib/installer.py b/archinstall/lib/installer.py
index f53dcda4..985e16cd 100644
--- a/archinstall/lib/installer.py
+++ b/archinstall/lib/installer.py
@@ -228,6 +228,9 @@ class Installer:
 			while self._service_state('archlinux-keyring-wkd-sync.service') not in ('dead', 'failed', 'exited'):
 				time.sleep(1)
 
+			if self._service_state('archlinux-keyring-wkd-sync.service') == 'failed':
+				warn('archlinux-keyring-wkd-sync failed, keyring may need reinit during pacman sync')
+
 	def _verify_boot_part(self) -> None:
 		"""
 		Check that mounted /boot device has at minimum size for installation
diff --git a/archinstall/lib/pacman/pacman.py b/archinstall/lib/pacman/pacman.py
index c78f6145..83b965e2 100644
--- a/archinstall/lib/pacman/pacman.py
+++ b/archinstall/lib/pacman/pacman.py
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ from collections.abc import Callable
 from pathlib import Path
 
 from archinstall.lib.command import SysCommand
-from archinstall.lib.exceptions import RequirementError
-from archinstall.lib.log import error, info, warn
+from archinstall.lib.exceptions import RequirementError, SysCallError
+from archinstall.lib.log import debug, error, info, warn
 from archinstall.lib.pathnames import PACMAN_CONF
 from archinstall.lib.plugins import plugins
 from archinstall.lib.translationhandler import tr
@@ -53,15 +53,45 @@ class Pacman:
 	def sync(self) -> None:
 		if self.synced:
 			return
-		self.ask(
-			'Could not sync a new package database',
-			'Could not sync mirrors',
-			self.run,
-			'-Syy',
-			default_cmd='pacman',
-		)
+
+		try:
+			self.run('-Syy')
+		except SysCallError as err:
+			if b'GPGME' in err.worker_log or b'keyring' in err.worker_log.lower():
+				warn('Pacman sync failed with keyring error, attempting keyring reinit')
+				self._reinit_keyring()
+				msg = 'Could not sync a new package database after keyring reinit'
+			else:
+				msg = 'Could not sync a new package database'
+
+			self.ask(msg, 'Could not sync mirrors', self.run, '-Syy')
+
 		self.synced = True
 
+	@staticmethod
+	def _is_running(process: str) -> bool:
+		try:
+			SysCommand(f'pgrep -x {process}')
+			return True
+		except SysCallError:
+			debug(f'{process} is not running')
+			return False
+
+	@staticmethod
+	def _reinit_keyring() -> None:
+		if Pacman._is_running('gpg-agent'):
+			try:
+				SysCommand('killall gpg-agent')
+			except SysCallError as err:
+				debug(f'Failed to kill gpg-agent: {err}')
+
+		try:
+			SysCommand('pacman-key --init')
+			SysCommand('pacman-key --populate archlinux')
+			debug('Keyring reinitialized successfully')
+		except SysCallError as err:
+			debug(f'Keyring reinit failed: {err}')
+
 	def strap(self, packages: str | list[str]) -> None:
 		self.sync()
 		if isinstance(packages, str):