diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 36c37e7..f40f1d0 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ help:
 rpms:
 	@export DIST NO_SIGN
 	@echo "Building template: $(TEMPLATE_NAME)"
-	@sudo -E ./fedorize_image fedorized_images/$(TEMPLATE_NAME).img clean_images/packages.list && \
-	./create_symlinks_in_rpms_to_install_dir.sh && \
+	@./create_symlinks_in_rpms_to_install_dir.sh && \
+	sudo -E ./fedorize_image fedorized_images/$(TEMPLATE_NAME).img clean_images/packages.list && \
 	sudo -E ./qubeize_image fedorized_images/$(TEMPLATE_NAME).img $(TEMPLATE_NAME) && \
 	./build_template_rpm $(TEMPLATE_NAME) || exit 1; \
 
diff --git a/clean_images/packages.list b/clean_images/packages.list
index 9f0ae45..c2d5639 100644
--- a/clean_images/packages.list
+++ b/clean_images/packages.list
@@ -32,3 +32,4 @@ liblzma.so.0()(64bit)
 git
 createrepo
 rpm-build
+./rpms_to_install/qubes-core-vm-kernel-placeholder.rpm
diff --git a/create_symlinks_in_rpms_to_install_dir.sh b/create_symlinks_in_rpms_to_install_dir.sh
index caa4d33..bcdf487 100755
--- a/create_symlinks_in_rpms_to_install_dir.sh
+++ b/create_symlinks_in_rpms_to_install_dir.sh
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ if [ "${DIST/fc/}" -ge 15 ]; then
 else
     ln -s $SRC_ROOT/core/rpm/x86_64/qubes-core-vm-sysvinit-$VERSION_CORE.rpm qubes-core-vm-init.rpm
 fi
+ln -s $SRC_ROOT/core/rpm/x86_64/qubes-core-vm-kernel-placeholder-1.0-1.$DIST.x86_64.rpm qubes-core-vm-kernel-placeholder.rpm
 
 # FIXME: rel hardcoded
 VERSION_GUI=$(cat $SRC_ROOT/gui/version)-1.$DIST.x86_64