diff --git a/upup/pkg/fi/nodeup/nodetasks/package.go b/upup/pkg/fi/nodeup/nodetasks/package.go
index e70b5988fa..5a029bf6ee 100644
--- a/upup/pkg/fi/nodeup/nodetasks/package.go
+++ b/upup/pkg/fi/nodeup/nodetasks/package.go
@@ -297,6 +297,7 @@ func (_ *Package) RenderLocal(t *local.LocalTarget, a, e, changes *Package) erro
 
 	if a == nil || changes.Version != nil {
 		klog.Infof("Installing package %q (dependencies: %v)", e.Name, e.Deps)
+		var localPkgs []string
 
 		if e.Source != nil {
 			// Install a deb or rpm.
@@ -316,7 +317,7 @@ func (_ *Package) RenderLocal(t *local.LocalTarget, a, e, changes *Package) erro
 			}
 
 			// Download all the debs/rpms.
-			localPkgs := make([]string, 1+len(e.Deps))
+			localPkgs = make([]string, 1+len(e.Deps))
 			for i, pkg := range append([]*Package{e}, e.Deps...) {
 				local := path.Join(localPackageDir, pkg.Name+ext)
 				localPkgs[i] = local
@@ -333,53 +334,30 @@ func (_ *Package) RenderLocal(t *local.LocalTarget, a, e, changes *Package) erro
 					return err
 				}
 			}
+		}
 
-			var args []string
-			env := os.Environ()
-			if t.HasTag(tags.TagOSFamilyDebian) {
-				args = []string{"apt-get", "install", "--yes", "--no-install-recommends"}
-				env = append(env, "DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive")
-			} else if t.HasTag(tags.TagOSFamilyRHEL) {
-				if t.HasTag(tags.TagOSCentOS8) || t.HasTag(tags.TagOSRHEL8) {
-					args = []string{"/usr/bin/dnf", "install", "-y", "--setopt=install_weak_deps=False"}
-				} else {
-					args = []string{"/usr/bin/yum", "install", "-y"}
-				}
+		var args []string
+		env := os.Environ()
+		if t.HasTag(tags.TagOSFamilyDebian) {
+			args = []string{"apt-get", "install", "--yes", "--no-install-recommends"}
+			env = append(env, "DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive")
+		} else if t.HasTag(tags.TagOSFamilyRHEL) {
+			if t.HasTag(tags.TagOSCentOS8) || t.HasTag(tags.TagOSRHEL8) {
+				args = []string{"/usr/bin/dnf", "install", "-y", "--setopt=install_weak_deps=False"}
 			} else {
-				return fmt.Errorf("unsupported package system")
-			}
-			args = append(args, localPkgs...)
-
-			klog.Infof("running command %s", args)
-			cmd := exec.Command(args[0], args[1:]...)
-			cmd.Env = env
-			output, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
-			if err != nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("error installing package %q: %v: %s", e.Name, err, string(output))
+				args = []string{"/usr/bin/yum", "install", "-y"}
 			}
 		} else {
-			var args []string
-			env := os.Environ()
-			if t.HasTag(tags.TagOSFamilyDebian) {
-				args = []string{"apt-get", "install", "--yes", "--no-install-recommends", e.Name}
-				env = append(env, "DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive")
-			} else if t.HasTag(tags.TagOSFamilyRHEL) {
-				if t.HasTag(tags.TagOSCentOS8) || t.HasTag(tags.TagOSRHEL8) {
-					args = []string{"/usr/bin/dnf", "install", "-y", "--setopt=install_weak_deps=False", e.Name}
-				} else {
-					args = []string{"/usr/bin/yum", "install", "-y", e.Name}
-				}
-			} else {
-				return fmt.Errorf("unsupported package system")
-			}
+			return fmt.Errorf("unsupported package system")
+		}
+		args = append(args, localPkgs...)
 
-			klog.Infof("running command %s", args)
-			cmd := exec.Command(args[0], args[1:]...)
-			cmd.Env = env
-			output, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
-			if err != nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("error installing package %q: %v: %s", e.Name, err, string(output))
-			}
+		klog.Infof("running command %s", args)
+		cmd := exec.Command(args[0], args[1:]...)
+		cmd.Env = env
+		output, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("error installing package %q: %v: %s", e.Name, err, string(output))
 		}
 	} else {
 		if changes.Healthy != nil {