diff --git a/internal/blueprint/blueprint.go b/internal/blueprint/blueprint.go
index 6248bb961..31f9c01f7 100644
--- a/internal/blueprint/blueprint.go
+++ b/internal/blueprint/blueprint.go
@@ -94,6 +94,10 @@ func (b *Blueprint) BumpVersion(old string) {
 // packages, modules, and groups all resolve to rpm packages right now. This
 // function returns a combined list of "name-version" strings.
 func (b *Blueprint) GetPackages() []string {
+	return b.GetPackagesEx(true)
+}
+
+func (b *Blueprint) GetPackagesEx(bootable bool) []string {
 	packages := []string{}
 	for _, pkg := range b.Packages {
 		packages = append(packages, pkg.ToNameVersion())
@@ -105,9 +109,11 @@ func (b *Blueprint) GetPackages() []string {
 		packages = append(packages, "@"+group.Name)
 	}
 
-	kc := b.Customizations.GetKernel()
-	kpkg := Package{Name: kc.Name}
-	packages = append(packages, kpkg.ToNameVersion())
+	if bootable {
+		kc := b.Customizations.GetKernel()
+		kpkg := Package{Name: kc.Name}
+		packages = append(packages, kpkg.ToNameVersion())
+	}
 
 	return packages
 }
diff --git a/internal/distro/fedora/distro.go b/internal/distro/fedora/distro.go
index b2f9b0a68..84ed2103e 100644
--- a/internal/distro/fedora/distro.go
+++ b/internal/distro/fedora/distro.go
@@ -571,7 +571,7 @@ func (t *imageType) PackageSets(bp blueprint.Blueprint, repos []rpmmd.RepoConfig
 	}
 
 	// blueprint packages
-	bpPackages := bp.GetPackages()
+	bpPackages := bp.GetPackagesEx(t.bootable)
 	timezone, _ := bp.Customizations.GetTimezoneSettings()
 	if timezone != nil {
 		bpPackages = append(bpPackages, "chrony")