diff --git a/release/tools/gce.conf b/release/tools/gce.conf
--- a/release/tools/gce.conf
+++ b/release/tools/gce.conf
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@
 	fi
 	if [ -e "${DESTDIR}/../ftp/ports.txz" ]; then
 		tar fxJ ${DESTDIR}/../ftp/ports.txz -C ${DESTDIR}
-		_INSTALLED_PACKAGES=$(pkg -r ${DESTDIR} info -o -q -a)
+		_INSTALLED_PACKAGES=$(pkg -r ${DESTDIR} info -o -q -a | grep -v ^base/)
 		for PACKAGE in ${_INSTALLED_PACKAGES}; do
 			make -C ${DESTDIR}/usr/ports/${PACKAGE} fetch \
 			    DISTDIR=${DESTDIR}/usr/ports/distfiles