diff --git a/debian/gitlab.postinst b/debian/gitlab.postinst
index 619856b7b5..ff6112d2e2 100755
--- a/debian/gitlab.postinst
+++ b/debian/gitlab.postinst
@@ -60,6 +60,11 @@ test -f ${gitlab_common_conf} && . ${gitlab_common_conf}
 
 # Required for embedded gems
 export GEM_HOME=/var/lib/gitlab/.gem
+export GEM_PATH=$(gem env gempath)
+
+# Updating these rubygem packages are complicated
+runuser -u ${gitlab_user} -- sh -c "gem install -v 1.8.0 graphiql-rails"
+runuser -u ${gitlab_user} -- sh -c "gem install -v 1.42 grpc"
 
 #######################################################################
 # update Gemfile.lock and yarn.lock, always