diff --git a/playbooks/install.yaml b/playbooks/install.yaml
index 95cbc484d..9967af0da 100644
--- a/playbooks/install.yaml
+++ b/playbooks/install.yaml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
   roles:
     - { role: bifrost-prep-for-install, when: skip_install is not defined }
     - ironic-install
-    - { role: bifrost-create-dib-image, dib_imagename: "{{ deploy_image }}", dib_imagetype: "qcow2", dib_os_element: "debian", dib_elements: "vm serial-console simple-init {{ extra_dib_elements|default('') }}", when: create_image_via_dib == true and transform_boot_image == false }
+    - { role: bifrost-create-dib-image, dib_imagename: "{{ deploy_image }}", dib_imagetype: "qcow2", dib_os_element: "{{ dib_os_element|default('debian') }}", dib_elements: "vm serial-console simple-init {{ extra_dib_elements|default('') }}", dib_packages: "{{ dib_packages|default('') }}", when: create_image_via_dib == true and transform_boot_image == false }
     - { role: bifrost-create-bootable-image, when: create_image_via_dib == false and transform_boot_image == true }
   environment:
     http_proxy: "{{ lookup('env','http_proxy') }}"
diff --git a/playbooks/roles/bifrost-create-dib-image/tasks/main.yml b/playbooks/roles/bifrost-create-dib-image/tasks/main.yml
index 6cf18fae1..99de71f9c 100644
--- a/playbooks/roles/bifrost-create-dib-image/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/playbooks/roles/bifrost-create-dib-image/tasks/main.yml
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@
 - name: "Build packages (-p) option for disk-image-create"
   set_fact:
     dib_packages_arg: "-p {{dib_packages}}"
-  when: dib_packages is defined
+  when: dib_packages is defined and dib_packages != ""
 - name: "Build argument list"
   set_fact:
     dib_arglist: "{{dib_trace_arg|default('')}} {{dib_uncompressed_arg|default('')}} {{dib_clearenv_arg|default('')}} {{dib_notmpfs_arg|default('')}} {{dib_offline_arg|default('')}} {{dib_skipbase_arg|default('')}} {{dib_arch_arg|default('')}} {{dib_imagename_arg|default('')}} {{dib_imagetype_arg|default('')}} {{dib_imagesize_arg|default('')}} {{dib_imagecache_arg|default('')}} {{dib_maxresize_arg|default('')}} {{dib_mintmpfs_arg|default('')}} {{dib_mkfsopts_arg|default('')}} {{dib_qemuopts_arg|default('')}} {{dib_rootlabel_arg|default('')}} {{dib_rdelement_arg|default('')}} {{dib_installtype_arg|default('')}} {{dib_packages_arg|default('')}} {{dib_os_element}} {{dib_elements|default('')}}"
diff --git a/playbooks/test-bifrost-dynamic.yaml b/playbooks/test-bifrost-dynamic.yaml
index 342a44c78..e3d4c0a8d 100644
--- a/playbooks/test-bifrost-dynamic.yaml
+++ b/playbooks/test-bifrost-dynamic.yaml
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
     - role: ironic-install
       cleaning: false
       testing: true
-    - { role: bifrost-create-dib-image, dib_imagetype: "qcow2", dib_imagename: "{{deploy_image}}", dib_os_element: "debian", dib_elements: "vm serial-console simple-init {{ extra_dib_elements|default('') }}", when: create_image_via_dib == true and transform_boot_image == false }
+    - { role: bifrost-create-dib-image, dib_imagetype: "qcow2", dib_imagename: "{{deploy_image}}", dib_os_element: "{{ dib_os_element|default('debian') }}", dib_elements: "vm serial-console simple-init {{ extra_dib_elements|default('') }}", dib_packages: "{{ dib_packages|default('') }}", when: create_image_via_dib == true and transform_boot_image == false }
     - { role: bifrost-create-bootable-image, when: create_image_via_dib == false and transform_boot_image == true }
   environment:
     http_proxy: "{{ lookup('env','http_proxy') }}"