diff --git a/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-arch/mkosi.prepare b/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-arch/mkosi.prepare
index 58930c250a..fd78e81114 100755
--- a/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-arch/mkosi.prepare
+++ b/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-arch/mkosi.prepare
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later
 set -e
 
-if [ "$1" = "build" ]; then
+if [ "$1" = "build" ] || ((NO_BUILD)); then
     exit 0
 fi
 
diff --git a/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-centos-fedora/mkosi.prepare b/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-centos-fedora/mkosi.prepare
index a2b8287182..1b86073ef5 100755
--- a/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-centos-fedora/mkosi.prepare
+++ b/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-centos-fedora/mkosi.prepare
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later
 set -e
 
-if [ "$1" = "build" ]; then
+if [ "$1" = "build" ] || ((NO_BUILD)); then
     exit 0
 fi
 
diff --git a/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-debian-ubuntu/mkosi.prepare b/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-debian-ubuntu/mkosi.prepare
index c9b69fc2db..645671a031 100755
--- a/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-debian-ubuntu/mkosi.prepare
+++ b/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-debian-ubuntu/mkosi.prepare
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later
 set -e
 
-if [ "$1" = "build" ]; then
+if [ "$1" = "build" ] || ((NO_BUILD)); then
     exit 0
 fi
 
diff --git a/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-opensuse/mkosi.prepare b/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-opensuse/mkosi.prepare
index 492aa0e45f..282a360bca 100755
--- a/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-opensuse/mkosi.prepare
+++ b/mkosi.images/system/mkosi.conf.d/10-opensuse/mkosi.prepare
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later
 set -e
 
-if [ "$1" = "build" ]; then
+if [ "$1" = "build" ] || ((NO_BUILD)); then
     exit 0
 fi