diff --git a/build.sh b/build.sh
index b7ef05c..350da18 100644
--- a/build.sh
+++ b/build.sh
@@ -23,9 +23,12 @@ echo "---"
 pip install --prefix=/usr yafti
 
 # add a package group for yafti using the packages defined in recipe.yml
-yq -i '.screens.applications.values.groups.Custom.description = "Flatpaks defined by the image maintainer"' /usr/etc/yafti.yml
-yq -i '.screens.applications.values.groups.Custom.default = true' /usr/etc/yafti.yml
-flatpaks=$(yq '.flatpaks[]' < /usr/etc/ublue-recipe.yml)
-for pkg in $(echo -e "$flatpaks"); do \
-    yq -i ".screens.applications.values.groups.Custom.packages += [{\"$pkg\": \"$pkg\"}]" /usr/etc/yafti.yml
-done
+flatpaks=$(yq '.flatpaks[]' < /tmp/ublue-recipe.yml)
+# only try to create package group if some flatpaks are defined
+if [[ -n "$flatpaks" ]]; then            
+    yq -i '.screens.applications.values.groups.Custom.description = "Flatpaks defined by the image maintainer"' /usr/etc/yafti.yml
+    yq -i '.screens.applications.values.groups.Custom.default = true' /usr/etc/yafti.yml
+    for pkg in $(echo -e "$flatpaks"); do \
+        yq -i ".screens.applications.values.groups.Custom.packages += [{\"$pkg\": \"$pkg\"}]" /usr/etc/yafti.yml
+    done
+fi
\ No newline at end of file