diff --git a/include/image.mk b/include/image.mk
index 13874bec34dde1b88fb302cd5cc8eda3e2064aee..18a3ed8ea96e5c57d70141e095e540f30a71a439 100644
--- a/include/image.mk
+++ b/include/image.mk
@@ -287,13 +287,13 @@ target-dir-%: FORCE
 	$(CP) $(TARGET_DIR_ORIG) $(mkfs_cur_target_dir)
 	-mv $(mkfs_cur_target_dir)/etc/opkg $(mkfs_cur_target_dir).opkg
 	echo 'src default file://$(PACKAGE_DIR_ALL)' > $(mkfs_cur_target_dir).conf
+	$(if $(mkfs_packages_remove), \
+		$(call opkg,$(mkfs_cur_target_dir)) remove \
+			$(mkfs_packages_remove))
 	$(if $(call opkg_package_files,$(mkfs_packages_add)), \
 		$(opkg_target) update && \
 		$(opkg_target) install \
 			$(call opkg_package_files,$(mkfs_packages_add)))
-	$(if $(mkfs_packages_remove), \
-		$(call opkg,$(mkfs_cur_target_dir)) remove \
-			$(mkfs_packages_remove))
 	$(call prepare_rootfs,$(mkfs_cur_target_dir))
 	-mv $(mkfs_cur_target_dir).opkg $(mkfs_cur_target_dir)/etc/opkg
 	rm -f $(mkfs_cur_target_dir).conf