diff --git a/xbps-src/shutils/tmpl_funcs.sh.in b/xbps-src/shutils/tmpl_funcs.sh.in
index fe4ad7e8cf..3b5ed25a17 100644
--- a/xbps-src/shutils/tmpl_funcs.sh.in
+++ b/xbps-src/shutils/tmpl_funcs.sh.in
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ reset_tmpl_vars()
 			ignore_vdeps_dir noverifyrdeps conflicts dkms_modules \
 			gconf_entries gconf_schemas stow_copy stow_copy_files \
 			pre_remove post_remove post_stow do_build do_install \
-			homepage license kernel_hooks_version \
+			homepage license kernel_hooks_version SUBPKG \
 			XBPS_EXTRACT_DONE XBPS_CONFIGURE_DONE \
 			XBPS_BUILD_DONE XBPS_INSTALL_DONE FILESDIR DESTDIR \
 			SRCPKGDESTDIR PATCHESDIR CFLAGS CXXFLAGS CPPFLAGS \
@@ -142,6 +142,8 @@ setup_tmpl()
 
 setup_subpkg_tmpl()
 {
+	local f
+
 	[ -z "$1" ] && return 1
 
 	if [ -r "$XBPS_SRCPKGDIR/$1/$1.template" ]; then
@@ -149,11 +151,11 @@ setup_subpkg_tmpl()
 		unset run_depends build_depends
 		. $XBPS_SRCPKGDIR/$1/$1.template
 		for f in ${subpackages}; do
-			if [ "$subpkg" = "$1" ]; then
-				pkgname=$subpkg
-				set_tmpl_common_vars
-				break
-			fi
+			[ "$f" != "$1" ] && continue
+			pkgname=$f
+			set_tmpl_common_vars
+			SUBPKG=1
+			break
 		done
 	else
 		setup_tmpl $1