diff --git a/scripts/repo-add.sh.in b/scripts/repo-add.sh.in
index a8450498..0500b48c 100644
--- a/scripts/repo-add.sh.in
+++ b/scripts/repo-add.sh.in
@@ -630,8 +630,13 @@ if (( success )); then
 	filename=${REPO_DB_FILE##*/}
 
 	pushd "$tmpdir/tree" >/dev/null
-	# strip the './' off filenames; this also allows us to tar an empty dir
-	bsdtar -s '%^./\?%%' -c${TAR_OPT}f "$tmpdir/$filename" ./
+	if ( shopt -s nullglob; files=(*); (( ${#files[*]} )) ); then
+		bsdtar -c${TAR_OPT}f "$tmpdir/$filename" *
+	else
+		# we have no packages remaining? zip up some emptyness
+		warning "$(gettext "No packages remain, creating empty database.")"
+		bsdtar -c${TAR_OPT}f "$tmpdir/$filename" -T /dev/null
+	fi
 	popd >/dev/null
 
 	create_signature "$tmpdir/$filename"