diff --git a/release/Makefile b/release/Makefile
--- a/release/Makefile
+++ b/release/Makefile
@@ -322,7 +322,6 @@
 	echo "./usr/freebsd-dist type=dir uname=root gname=wheel mode=0755" >> ${.TARGET}/METALOG
 	cp MANIFEST ${.TARGET}/usr/freebsd-dist
 	echo "./usr/freebsd-dist/MANIFEST type=file uname=root gname=wheel mode=0644" >> ${.TARGET}/METALOG
-.if defined(NOPKGBASE) && !empty(NOPKGBASE)
 # Copy distfiles
 	mkdir -p ${.TARGET}/usr/freebsd-dist
 	for dist in $$(ls *.txz | grep -v container); do \
@@ -330,7 +329,6 @@
 	    echo "./usr/freebsd-dist/$${dist} type=file uname=root gname=wheel mode=0644" >> ${.TARGET}/METALOG; \
 	done
 .endif
-.endif
 .if ${.MAKE.OS} == "FreeBSD" && (!defined(NOPKG) || empty(NOPKG))
 # Install packages onto release media.
 	${PKG_INSTALL} pkg || true