diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 552abe3ce..9e0eb0c5f 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -324,10 +324,11 @@ DEP_CONSTRAINT ?= >= 0.0.0
 ifeq (-,$(findstring -,$(VERSION)))
     DEP_CONSTRAINT = >= 0.0.0-0
 endif
-# Define SUBPACKAGES variable and set its value from PROVIDERS
-SUBPACKAGES := $(PROVIDERS)
-# Define XPKG_REG_ORGS variable and set its value from REPO
-XPKG_REG_ORGS := $(REPO)
+
+# use PROVIDERS in place of SUBPACKAGES if set
+SUBPACKAGES := $(if $(PROVIDERS),$(PROVIDERS),$(SUBPACKAGES))
+# use REPO in place of XPKG_REG_ORGS if set
+XPKG_REG_ORGS := $(if $(REPO),$(REPO),$(XPKG_REG_ORGS))
 load-pkg: $(UP) build.all
 	@$(INFO) Loading the family providers into the Docker daemon: $(SUBPACKAGES)
 	@for p in $(PLATFORMS); do \