diff --git a/release/Makefile.ec2 b/release/Makefile.ec2
index 869ebc15264e..f74d32027a7d 100644
--- a/release/Makefile.ec2
+++ b/release/Makefile.ec2
@@ -12,13 +12,17 @@ AMINAMESUFFIX!=	date +-%Y-%m-%d
 PUBLISH=	--public
 .endif
 
-ec2ami: cw-ec2
-.if !exists(/usr/local/bin/bsdec2-image-upload)
-	@echo "--------------------------------------------------------------"
-	@echo ">>> Creating EC2 AMIs requires bsdec2-image-upload"
-	@echo "--------------------------------------------------------------"
-	@false
+cw-ec2-portinstall:
+.if exists(${PORTSDIR}/net/bsdec2-image-upload/Makefile)
+	make -C ${PORTSDIR}/net/bsdec2-image-upload BATCH=1 all install clean
+.else
+. if !exists(/usr/local/sbin/pkg-static)
+	env ASSUME_ALWAYS_YES=yes pkg bootstrap -y
+. endif
+	env ASSUME_ALWAYS_YES=yes pkg install -y net/bsdec2-image-upload
 .endif
+
+ec2ami: cw-ec2 cw-ec2-portinstall
 .if !defined(AWSKEYFILE) || !exists(${AWSKEYFILE})
 	@echo "--------------------------------------------------------------"
 	@echo ">>> AWSKEYFILE must point at AWS keys for EC2 AMI creation"