diff --git a/roles/vpn/tasks/ubuntu-hacks.yml b/roles/vpn/tasks/ubuntu-hacks.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fbe2cbc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/vpn/tasks/ubuntu-hacks.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+---
+
+- name: Configure apt to use the Xenial release by default
+  template: src=01_xenial_aptconf.j2 dest=/etc/apt/apt.conf.d/01xenial
+
+- name: Configure packages preferences
+  template: src=01_strongswan.pref.j2 dest=/etc/apt/preferences.d/01_strongswan.pref
+
+- name: Configure the Ubuntu Zesty repository
+  apt_repository:
+    repo: deb http://mirrors.kernel.org/ubuntu/ zesty main
+    state: present
+    filename: 'zesty'
+    update_cache: yes
diff --git a/roles/vpn/tasks/ubuntu.yml b/roles/vpn/tasks/ubuntu.yml
index 4856a97..971d905 100644
--- a/roles/vpn/tasks/ubuntu.yml
+++ b/roles/vpn/tasks/ubuntu.yml
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@
 - set_fact:
     strongswan_additional_plugins: []
 
+- include: ubuntu-hacks.yml
+  when: ansible_distribution_version == "16.04"
+
 - name: Ubuntu | Install strongSwan
   apt: name=strongswan state=latest update_cache=yes install_recommends=yes
 
diff --git a/roles/vpn/templates/01_strongswan.pref.j2 b/roles/vpn/templates/01_strongswan.pref.j2
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3249758
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/vpn/templates/01_strongswan.pref.j2
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+Package: *strongswan*
+Pin: release n=zesty
+Pin-Priority: 9000
diff --git a/roles/vpn/templates/01_xenial_aptconf.j2 b/roles/vpn/templates/01_xenial_aptconf.j2
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c589ffc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/vpn/templates/01_xenial_aptconf.j2
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+APT::Default-Release "xenial";