diff --git a/src/kernel-install/50-depmod.install b/src/kernel-install/50-depmod.install
index 61afdd4e9c..d543012b7b 100644
--- a/src/kernel-install/50-depmod.install
+++ b/src/kernel-install/50-depmod.install
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@
 COMMAND="$1"
 KERNEL_VERSION="$2"
 
+[ -w "/lib/modules" ] || exit 0
+
 case "$COMMAND" in
     add)
         [ -d "/lib/modules/$KERNEL_VERSION/kernel" ] || exit 0