diff --git a/build_files/packages-dx.sh b/build_files/packages-dx.sh
index 353c744ece7..7850d48c62b 100755
--- a/build_files/packages-dx.sh
+++ b/build_files/packages-dx.sh
@@ -20,20 +20,23 @@ EXCLUDED_PACKAGES=($(jq -r "[(.all.exclude | (select(.all != null).all)[]), \
                     (select(.\"$FEDORA_MAJOR_VERSION\" != null).\"$FEDORA_MAJOR_VERSION\".exclude | (select(.dx != null).dx)[])] \
                     | sort | unique[]" /tmp/packages.json))
 
+# store a list of RPMs installed on the image
+INSTALLED_EXCLUDED_PACKAGES=()
+
 # ensure exclusion list only contains packages already present on image
 if [[ "${#EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}" -gt 0 ]]; then
-    EXCLUDED_PACKAGES=($(rpm -qa --queryformat='%{NAME} ' ${EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}))
+    INSTALLED_EXCLUDED_PACKAGES=($(rpm -qa --queryformat='%{NAME} ' ${EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}))
 fi
 
 # simple case to install where no packages need excluding
-if [[ "${#INCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}" -gt 0 && "${#EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}" -eq 0 ]]; then
+if [[ "${#INCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}" -gt 0 && "${#INSTALLED_EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}" -eq 0 ]]; then
     rpm-ostree install \
         ${INCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}
 
 # install/excluded packages both at same time
-elif [[ "${#INCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}" -gt 0 && "${#EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}" -gt 0 ]]; then
+elif [[ "${#INCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}" -gt 0 && "${#INSTALLED_EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}" -gt 0 ]]; then
     rpm-ostree override remove \
-        ${EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]} \
+        ${INSTALLED_EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]} \
         $(printf -- "--install=%s " ${INCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]})
 else
     echo "No packages to install."
@@ -42,11 +45,11 @@ fi
 # check if any excluded packages are still present
 # (this can happen if an included package pulls in a dependency)
 if [[ "${#EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}" -gt 0 ]]; then
-    EXCLUDED_PACKAGES=($(rpm -qa --queryformat='%{NAME} ' ${EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}))
+    INSTALLED_EXCLUDED_PACKAGES=($(rpm -qa --queryformat='%{NAME} ' ${EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}))
 fi
 
 # remove any excluded packages which are still present on image
-if [[ "${#EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}" -gt 0 ]]; then
+if [[ "${#INSTALLED_EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}" -gt 0 ]]; then
     rpm-ostree override remove \
-        ${EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}
+        ${INSTALLED_EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}
 fi
diff --git a/build_files/packages.sh b/build_files/packages.sh
index a449f7ef1a0..6c453e33cb8 100755
--- a/build_files/packages.sh
+++ b/build_files/packages.sh
@@ -16,20 +16,23 @@ EXCLUDED_PACKAGES=($(jq -r "[(.all.exclude | (select(.all != null).all)[]), \
                     (select(.\"$FEDORA_MAJOR_VERSION\" != null).\"$FEDORA_MAJOR_VERSION\".exclude | (select(.\"$BASE_IMAGE_NAME\" != null).\"$BASE_IMAGE_NAME\")[])] \
                     | sort | unique[]" /tmp/packages.json))
 
+# store a list of RPMs installed on the image
+INSTALLED_EXCLUDED_PACKAGES=()
+
 # ensure exclusion list only contains packages already present on image
 if [[ "${#EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}" -gt 0 ]]; then
-    EXCLUDED_PACKAGES=($(rpm -qa --queryformat='%{NAME} ' ${EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}))
+    INSTALLED_EXCLUDED_PACKAGES=($(rpm -qa --queryformat='%{NAME} ' ${EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}))
 fi
 
 # simple case to install where no packages need excluding
-if [[ "${#INCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}" -gt 0 && "${#EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}" -eq 0 ]]; then
+if [[ "${#INCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}" -gt 0 && "${#INSTALLED_EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}" -eq 0 ]]; then
     rpm-ostree install \
         ${INCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}
 
 # install/excluded packages both at same time
-elif [[ "${#INCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}" -gt 0 && "${#EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}" -gt 0 ]]; then
+elif [[ "${#INCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}" -gt 0 && "${#INSTALLED_EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}" -gt 0 ]]; then
     rpm-ostree override remove \
-        ${EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]} \
+        ${INSTALLED_EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]} \
         $(printf -- "--install=%s " ${INCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]})
 else
     echo "No packages to install."
@@ -38,11 +41,11 @@ fi
 # check if any excluded packages are still present
 # (this can happen if an included package pulls in a dependency)
 if [[ "${#EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}" -gt 0 ]]; then
-    EXCLUDED_PACKAGES=($(rpm -qa --queryformat='%{NAME} ' ${EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}))
+    INSTALLED_EXCLUDED_PACKAGES=($(rpm -qa --queryformat='%{NAME} ' ${EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}))
 fi
 
 # remove any excluded packages which are still present on image
-if [[ "${#EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}" -gt 0 ]]; then
+if [[ "${#INSTALLED_EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}" -gt 0 ]]; then
     rpm-ostree override remove \
-        ${EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}
+        ${INSTALLED_EXCLUDED_PACKAGES[@]}
 fi