diff --git a/image.in/Makefile b/image.in/Makefile
index f442ae0e..a19e9ffa 100644
--- a/image.in/Makefile
+++ b/image.in/Makefile
@@ -32,16 +32,18 @@ else
 GLOBAL_HSH_APT_CONFIG = $(APTCONF)
 endif
 
+# Metadata/ needed only for installers (and not for e.g. syslinux.iso)
+ifneq "$(STAGE1_KFLAVOUR)$(KFLAVOURS)" ""
+METADATA = metadata
+endif
+
 include $(MKIMAGE_PREFIX)/targets.mk
 
 all: $(GLOBAL_DEBUG) prep copy-subdirs copy-tree run-scripts pack-image \
 	$(GLOBAL_CLEAN_WORKDIR)
 
-# Metadata/ needed only for installer (and not for e.g. syslinux.iso)
-ifeq "$(STAGE1_KFLAVOUR)$(KFLAVOURS)" ""
-metadata:
-	@echo "** skipping metadata target, no stage1 kernel installed"
-else
+prep: $(GLOBAL_DEBUG) dot-disk $(METADATA) $(IMAGEDIR)
+
 metadata: dot-base
 	@mkdir -p files/Metadata
 	@rm -f files/Metadata/pkg-groups.tar
@@ -50,14 +52,11 @@ metadata: dot-base
 		$$(echo $(call list,$(GROUPS) .base) \
 			$(call group,$(GROUPS)) \
 		   | sed 's,$(PKGDIR)/*,,g')
-endif
 
 dot-base:
 	@echo -e "# auto-added in image.in/Makefile" >> $(call list,.base)
 	@echo "$(call kpackages,$(KMODULES),$(KFLAVOURS))" >> $(call list,.base)
 
-prep: $(GLOBAL_DEBUG) dot-disk metadata $(IMAGEDIR)
-
 $(IMAGEDIR):
 	mkdir -p "$(IMAGEDIR)"
 
diff --git a/sub.in/stage1/Makefile b/sub.in/stage1/Makefile
index 9114844a..4cc2acfa 100644
--- a/sub.in/stage1/Makefile
+++ b/sub.in/stage1/Makefile
@@ -27,10 +27,8 @@ include $(MKIMAGE_PREFIX)/targets.mk
 STAGE1_KFLAVOUR ?= $(lastword $(KFLAVOURS))
 
 # propagator needed iff stage1 kernel installed (not for e.g. syslinux.iso)
-ifeq "$(STAGE1_KFLAVOUR)" ""
-build-propagator:
-	@echo "** skipping build-propagator target, no kernel installed"
-else
+ifneq "$(STAGE1_KFLAVOUR)" ""
+BUILD_PROPAGATOR = build-propagator
 CHROOT_PACKAGES_REGEXP := $(call kpackages,$(STAGE1_KMODULES_REGEXP),$(STAGE1_KFLAVOUR))
 INFO_STAGE1_KFLAVOUR := $(STAGE1_KFLAVOUR)
 endif
@@ -40,7 +38,7 @@ CHROOT_PACKAGES = $(STAGE1_PACKAGES) $(COMMON_PACKAGES)
 
 # scripts prepare bootloader configuration, too
 # NB: we pass tested squashfs options for ../install2/Makefile
-all: | debug prepare-workdir copy-tree run-scripts build-propagator \
+all: | debug prepare-workdir copy-tree run-scripts $(BUILD_PROPAGATOR) \
 	copy-$(BOOTLOADER) $(COPY_SQUASHCFG) pack-image $(GLOBAL_CLEAN_WORKDIR)
 	@if test -s $(OUTDIR)/squashcfg.mk; then \
 		cp $(OUTDIR)/squashcfg.mk $(GLOBAL_BUILDDIR)/; \