diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index 6c8855f2b3a9..d4c2fe196696 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@ ifneq ($(DEB_HOST_ARCH),$(DEB_BUILD_ARCH))
 	do_tools=false
 	disable_d_i=true
 	do_zfs=false
-	do_zfs_disable:=$(shell cat $(DROOT)/zfs-modules.ignore >>$(prev_abidir)/../modules.ignore)
 endif
 
 # Stages -- support both DEB_STAGE=stage1 and DEB_BUILD_PROFILE=bootstrap
@@ -75,6 +74,10 @@ ifneq ($(do_tools),true)
 	do_tools_common=
 endif
 
+ifeq $(do_zfs,false)
+	do_zfs_disable:=$(shell cat $(DROOT)/zfs-modules.ignore >>$(prev_abidir)/../modules.ignore)
+endif
+
 # Either tools package needs the common source preparation
 do_any_tools=$(sort $(filter-out false,$(do_linux_tools) $(do_cloud_tools)))