diff --git a/zzz_templates/automatic_packages.sh b/zzz_templates/automatic_packages.sh
index 9f3dab8ff..b9cc51f93 100644
--- a/zzz_templates/automatic_packages.sh
+++ b/zzz_templates/automatic_packages.sh
@@ -4,9 +4,8 @@
 # INIT #
 ########
 
-PACKAGES="$@"
-echo $PACKAGES
 set +u 2>/dev/null
+PACKAGES="${@:-}"
 VERBOSE=true
 
 ################################