diff --git a/release/Makefile b/release/Makefile
--- a/release/Makefile
+++ b/release/Makefile
@@ -193,6 +193,7 @@
 .endif
 .if ${.MAKE.OS} == "FreeBSD" && (!defined(NOPKG) || empty(NOPKG))
 # Install packages onto release media.
+	${PKG_INSTALL} pkg || true
 	${PKG_INSTALL} wifi-firmware-kmod-release || true
 	${PKG_CLEAN} || true
 .endif
@@ -231,6 +232,11 @@
 	cp MANIFEST ${.TARGET}/usr/freebsd-dist
 	echo "./usr/freebsd-dist type=dir uname=root gname=wheel mode=0755" >> ${.TARGET}/METALOG
 	echo "./usr/freebsd-dist/MANIFEST type=file uname=root gname=wheel mode=0644" >> ${.TARGET}/METALOG
+.if ${.MAKE.OS} == "FreeBSD" && (!defined(NOPKG) || empty(NOPKG))
+# Install packages onto release media.
+	${PKG_INSTALL} pkg || true
+	${PKG_CLEAN} || true
+.endif
 # Set up installation environment
 	ln -fs /tmp/bsdinstall_etc/resolv.conf ${.TARGET}/etc/resolv.conf
 	echo sendmail_enable=\"NONE\" > ${.TARGET}/etc/rc.conf
@@ -266,6 +272,7 @@
 .endif
 .if ${.MAKE.OS} == "FreeBSD" && (!defined(NOPKG) || empty(NOPKG))
 # Install packages onto release media.
+	${PKG_INSTALL} pkg || true
 	${PKG_INSTALL} wifi-firmware-kmod-release || true
 	${PKG_CLEAN} || true
 .endif