diff --git a/lib/initend.c b/lib/initend.c
index cc740f9d..a15fbb78 100644
--- a/lib/initend.c
+++ b/lib/initend.c
@@ -82,7 +82,10 @@ xbps_init(struct xbps_handle *xh)
 	 * Initialize repository pool.
 	 */
 	if ((rv = xbps_repository_pool_init()) != 0) {
-		if (rv != ENOENT) {
+		if (rv == ENOTSUP) {
+			xbps_dbg_printf("%s: empty repository list.\n",
+			    __func__);
+		} else if (rv != ENOENT && rv != ENOTSUP) {
 			xbps_dbg_printf("%s: couldn't initialize "
 			    "repository pool: %s\n", strerror(rv));
 			xbps_end();
diff --git a/lib/repository_pool.c b/lib/repository_pool.c
index 8a9cf72e..820b1dab 100644
--- a/lib/repository_pool.c
+++ b/lib/repository_pool.c
@@ -67,10 +67,12 @@ xbps_repository_pool_init(void)
 		return 0;
 
 	array = prop_dictionary_get(xhp->conf_dictionary, "repositories");
-	if (array == NULL) {
-		rv = errno;
-		goto out;
-	}
+	if (array == NULL)
+		return errno;
+
+	if (prop_array_count(array) == 0)
+		return ENOTSUP;
+
 	iter = prop_array_iterator(array);
 	if (iter == NULL) {
 		rv = errno;