diff --git a/resources/chaosknoten/ccchoir/docker_compose/compose.yaml.j2 b/resources/chaosknoten/ccchoir/docker_compose/compose.yaml.j2
index c2108d8..f359f47 100644
--- a/resources/chaosknoten/ccchoir/docker_compose/compose.yaml.j2
+++ b/resources/chaosknoten/ccchoir/docker_compose/compose.yaml.j2
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 services:
   database:
-    image: docker.io/library/mariadb:11
+    image: docker.io/library/mariadb:12
     environment:
       - "MARIADB_DATABASE=wordpress"
       - "MARIADB_ROOT_PASSWORD={{ secret__mariadb_root_password }}"
diff --git a/roles/base_config/tasks/main.yaml b/roles/base_config/tasks/main.yaml
index cd8affd..7f0281e 100644
--- a/roles/base_config/tasks/main.yaml
+++ b/roles/base_config/tasks/main.yaml
@@ -11,3 +11,23 @@
     replace: " #- ssh"
   become: true
   when: base_config__stat_cloud_cfg.stat.exists
+
+# Ensure a base set of admin tools is installed.
+- name: ensure a base set of admin tools is installed
+  ansible.builtin.apt:
+    name:
+      - vim
+      - joe
+      - nano
+      - htop
+      - btop
+      - ripgrep
+      - fd-find
+      - tmux
+      - git
+      - curl
+      - rsync
+      - dnsutils
+      - usbutils
+      - kitty
+  become: true