diff --git a/scripts/macosx/update.sh b/scripts/macosx/update.sh
index b4cd8ff93..e1415eb01 100644
--- a/scripts/macosx/update.sh
+++ b/scripts/macosx/update.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,16 @@
 #!/bin/sh -eux
 
-softwareupdate --install --all;
+MACOS_VERS=$(sw_vers -productVersion | awk -F "." '{print $2}')
+
+if [ "$MACOS_VERS" -le 11 ] ; then
+    softwareupdate --install --all;
+fi
+
+# --force became an option in 10.12 (Sierra) and will fail on other versions
+if [ "$MACOS_VERS" -ge 12 ] ; then
+    softwareupdate --background --force --verbose;
+    softwareupdate --install --all --force --verbose;
+    # vboxmanage_post commands fail without this sleep because the system
+    # is not done with the softwareupdate background checks
+    sleep 3;
+fi