diff --git a/Makefile.inc1 b/Makefile.inc1
--- a/Makefile.inc1
+++ b/Makefile.inc1
@@ -2267,8 +2267,12 @@
 
 create-kernel-packages:	.PHONY
 . for flavor in "" ${_debug}
-create-kernel-packages: create-kernel-packages-flavor${flavor:C,^""$,${_default_flavor},} create-dtb-package
-create-kernel-packages-flavor${flavor:C,^""$,${_default_flavor},}: _pkgbootstrap .PHONY
+_kernflavortgt:=create-kernel-packages-flavor${flavor:C,^""$,${_default_flavor},}
+create-kernel-packages: ${_kernflavortgt} create-dtb-package
+# create-dtb-package won't do anything if dtb.plist hasn't been created, which
+# happens when mtree-to-plist processes the kernel metalog.
+.ORDER: ${_kernflavortgt} create-dtb-package
+${_kernflavortgt}: _pkgbootstrap .PHONY
 	@cd ${KSTAGEDIR}/${DISTDIR} ; \
 	${METALOG_SORT_CMD} ${KSTAGEDIR}/kernel.meta | \
 	awk -f ${SRCDIR}/release/scripts/mtree-to-plist.awk \