diff --git a/core/deployment/src/main/java/io/quarkus/deployment/steps/NativeImageFeatureStep.java b/core/deployment/src/main/java/io/quarkus/deployment/steps/NativeImageFeatureStep.java
index 873cfce2d5abc..3e4e24105d90c 100644
--- a/core/deployment/src/main/java/io/quarkus/deployment/steps/NativeImageFeatureStep.java
+++ b/core/deployment/src/main/java/io/quarkus/deployment/steps/NativeImageFeatureStep.java
@@ -282,6 +282,7 @@ public void write(String s, byte[] bytes) {
                 CatchBlockCreator cc = tc.addCatch(Throwable.class);
                 cc.invokeVirtualMethod(ofMethod(Throwable.class, "printStackTrace", void.class), cc.getCaughtException());
             }
+            runtimeInitializedPackages.returnValue(packagesArray);
 
             ResultHandle packages = overallCatch.invokeStaticMethod(runtimeInitializedPackages.getMethodDescriptor());
             overallCatch.invokeStaticMethod(INITIALIZE_PACKAGES_AT_RUN_TIME, packages);