diff --git a/include/image.mk b/include/image.mk
index 4c53247eda..c476f6674f 100644
--- a/include/image.mk
+++ b/include/image.mk
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ ifdef CONFIG_TARGET_ROOTFS_CPIOGZ
 endif
 
 mkfs_packages = $(filter-out @%,$(PACKAGES_$(call param_get,pkg,pkg=$(target_params))))
-mkfs_packages_add = $(foreach pkg,$(filter-out -%,$(mkfs_packages)),$(pkg)$(call GetABISuffix,$(pkg)))
+mkfs_packages_add = $(foreach pkg,$(filter-out -% ~%,$(mkfs_packages)),$(pkg)$(call GetABISuffix,$(pkg)))
 mkfs_packages_remove = $(foreach pkg,$(patsubst -%,%,$(filter -%,$(mkfs_packages))),$(pkg)$(call GetABISuffix,$(pkg)))
 mkfs_cur_target_dir = $(call mkfs_target_dir,pkg=$(target_params))
 
diff --git a/scripts/target-metadata.pl b/scripts/target-metadata.pl
index e1d4ef242b..0c17e2e327 100755
--- a/scripts/target-metadata.pl
+++ b/scripts/target-metadata.pl
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ sub merge_package_lists($$) {
 	my %pkgs;
 
 	foreach my $pkg (@$list1, @$list2) {
-		$pkgs{$pkg} = 1;
+		$pkgs{$pkg =~ s/^~//r} = 1;
 	}
 	foreach my $pkg (keys %pkgs) {
 		push @l, $pkg unless ($pkg =~ /^-/ or $pkgs{"-$pkg"});