diff --git a/release/Makefile b/release/Makefile
index 9be38fe6a5e2..3cd6b7c0ffca 100644
--- a/release/Makefile
+++ b/release/Makefile
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ packagesystem: base.txz kernel.txz ${EXTRA_PACKAGES}
 	touch ${.TARGET}
 
 pkg-stage:
-.if !defined(NOPKG)
+.if !defined(NOPKG) || empty(NOPKG)
 	env PORTSDIR=${PORTSDIR} REPOS_DIR=${.CURDIR}/pkg_repos/ \
 		sh ${.CURDIR}/scripts/pkg-stage.sh
 	mkdir -p ${.OBJDIR}/dvd/packages/repos/