diff --git a/library/packaging/apt b/library/packaging/apt
index 63da127648a..b4b3f078a88 100755
--- a/library/packaging/apt
+++ b/library/packaging/apt
@@ -291,50 +291,61 @@ def install(m, pkgspec, cache, upgrade=False, default_release=None,
     else:
         return (True, dict(changed=False))
 
-def install_deb(m, debfile, cache, force, install_recommends, dpkg_options):
+def install_deb(m, debs, cache, force, install_recommends, dpkg_options):
     changed=False
-    pkg = apt.debfile.DebPackage(debfile)
-
-    # Check if it's already installed
-    if pkg.compare_to_version_in_cache() == pkg.VERSION_SAME:
-        m.exit_json(changed=False)
-
-    # Check if package is installable
-    if not pkg.check():
-        m.fail_json(msg=pkg._failure_string)
-
-    (success, retvals) = install(m=m, pkgspec=pkg.missing_deps,
-                                 cache=cache,
-                                 install_recommends=install_recommends,
-                                 dpkg_options=expand_dpkg_options(dpkg_options))
-    if not success:
-        m.fail_json(**retvals)
-    changed = retvals['changed']
-
-
-    options = ' '.join(["--%s"% x for x in dpkg_options.split(",")])
-
-    if m.check_mode:
-        options += " --simulate"
-    if force:
-        options += " --force-yes"
-
+    deps_to_install = []
+    pkgs_to_install = []
+    for deb_file in debs.split(','):
+        pkg = apt.debfile.DebPackage(deb_file)
+
+        # Check if it's already installed
+        if pkg.compare_to_version_in_cache() == pkg.VERSION_SAME:
+            continue
+        # Check if package is installable
+        if not pkg.check():
+            m.fail_json(msg=pkg._failure_string)
+
+        # add any missing deps to the list of deps we need
+        # to install so they're all done in one shot
+        deps_to_install.extend(pkg.missing_deps)
+
+        # and add this deb to the list of packages to install
+        pkgs_to_install.append(deb_file)
+
+    # install the deps through apt
+    retvals = {}
+    if len(deps_to_install) > 0:
+        (success, retvals) = install(m=m, pkgspec=deps_to_install, cache=cache,
+                                     install_recommends=install_recommends,
+                                     dpkg_options=expand_dpkg_options(dpkg_options))
+        if not success:
+            m.fail_json(**retvals)
+        changed = retvals.get('changed', False)
+
+    if len(pkgs_to_install) > 0:
+        options = ' '.join(["--%s"% x for x in dpkg_options.split(",")])
+        if m.check_mode:
+            options += " --simulate"
+        if force:
+            options += " --force-yes"
 
-    cmd = "dpkg %s -i %s" % (options, debfile)
-    rc, out, err = m.run_command(cmd)
+        cmd = "dpkg %s -i %s" % (options, " ".join(pkgs_to_install))
+        rc, out, err = m.run_command(cmd)
+        if "stdout" in retvals:
+            stdout = retvals["stdout"] + out
+        else:
+            stdout = out
+        if "stderr" in retvals:
+            stderr = retvals["stderr"] + err
+        else:
+            stderr = err
 
-    if "stdout" in retvals:
-        stdout = retvals["stdout"] + out
-    else:
-        stdout = out
-    if "stderr" in retvals:
-        stderr = retvals["stderr"] + err
-    else:
-        stderr = err
-    if rc == 0:
-        m.exit_json(changed=True, stdout=stdout, stderr=stderr)
+        if rc == 0:
+            m.exit_json(changed=True, stdout=stdout, stderr=stderr)
+        else:
+            m.fail_json(msg="%s failed" % cmd, stdout=stdout, stderr=stderr)
     else:
-        m.fail_json(msg="%s failed" % cmd, stdout=stdout, stderr=stderr)
+        m.exit_json(changed=changed, stdout=retvals.get('stdout',''), stderr=retvals.get('stderr',''))
 
 def remove(m, pkgspec, cache, purge=False,
            dpkg_options=expand_dpkg_options(DPKG_OPTIONS)):