diff --git a/.travis-setup.sh b/.travis-setup.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..e694e093
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.travis-setup.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+set -eux
+
+mkdir -p $HOME/.cabal
+cat > $HOME/.cabal/config <<EOF
+remote-repo: hackage.haskell.org:http://hackage.fpcomplete.com/
+remote-repo-cache: $HOME/.cabal/packages
+jobs: \$ncpus
+EOF
diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 8fc704b1..4fef5b2d 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ before_install:
  - travis_retry sudo apt-get update
  - travis_retry sudo apt-get install cabal-install-$CABALVER ghc-$GHCVER # see note about happy/alex
  - export PATH=/opt/ghc/$GHCVER/bin:/opt/cabal/$CABALVER/bin:$HOME/.cabal/bin:$PATH
+ - export PATH=$HOME/.cabal/bin:/opt/ghc/$GHCVER/bin:/opt/cabal/$CABALVER/bin:$PATH
+ - ./.travis-setup.sh
+
 
 install:
  - cabal --version