diff --git a/etc/archboot/defaults b/etc/archboot/defaults
index 62f718779..095d80c5c 100644
--- a/etc/archboot/defaults
+++ b/etc/archboot/defaults
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # defaults for archboot
-# additional packages to install eg. firmware
-_PACKAGES="linux-firmware"
+# packages to install eg. firmware
+_PACKAGES="base linux linux-firmware"
 # grub config to use
 _GRUB_CONFIG="/usr/share/archboot/grub/archboot-main-grub.cfg"
 _GRUB_BACKGROUND="/usr/share/archboot/grub/archboot-background.png"
diff --git a/usr/bin/archboot-quickinst.sh b/usr/bin/archboot-quickinst.sh
index 4458122ea..1bc42992f 100755
--- a/usr/bin/archboot-quickinst.sh
+++ b/usr/bin/archboot-quickinst.sh
@@ -63,7 +63,10 @@ chroot_umount()
 
 # package_installation
 install_packages() {
-    PACKAGES="base linux linux-firmware"
+    # add packages from archboot defaults
+    PACKAGES=$(grep '^_PACKAGES' /etc/archboot/defaults | sed -e 's#_PACKAGES=##g' -e 's#"##g')
+    # fallback if _PACKAGES is empty
+    [[ -z "${PACKAGES}" ]] && PACKAGES="base linux linux-firmware"
     # Add packages which are not in core repository
     if lsblk -rnpo FSTYPE | grep -q btrfs; then
         ! echo "${PACKAGES}" | grep -qw btrfs-progs && PACKAGES="${PACKAGES} btrfs-progs"
diff --git a/usr/bin/archboot-setup.sh b/usr/bin/archboot-setup.sh
index 6632f4197..692c0980c 100755
--- a/usr/bin/archboot-setup.sh
+++ b/usr/bin/archboot-setup.sh
@@ -2599,8 +2599,11 @@ install_packages() {
     fi
     prepare_pacman
     PACKAGES=""
-    DIALOG --yesno "Next step will install base, linux, linux-firmware, netctl and filesystem tools for a minimal system.\n\nDo you wish to continue?" 10 50 || return 1
-    PACKAGES="base linux linux-firmware"
+    # add packages from archboot defaults
+    PACKAGES=$(grep '^_PACKAGES' /etc/archboot/defaults | sed -e 's#_PACKAGES=##g' -e 's#"##g')
+    # fallback if _PACKAGES is empty
+    [[ -z "${PACKAGES}" ]] && PACKAGES="base linux linux-firmware"
+    DIALOG --yesno "Next step will install ${PACKAGES}, netctl and filesystem tools for a minimal system.\n\nDo you wish to continue?" 10 50 || return 1
     # Add packages which are not in core repository
     if [[ -n "$(pgrep dhclient)" ]]; then
         ! echo "${PACKAGES}" | grep -qw dhclient && PACKAGES="${PACKAGES} dhclient"
diff --git a/usr/lib/archboot/container_functions b/usr/lib/archboot/container_functions
index 9f061014e..761c6b689 100644
--- a/usr/lib/archboot/container_functions
+++ b/usr/lib/archboot/container_functions
@@ -125,8 +125,8 @@ _umount_special() {
 }
 
 _install_base_packages() {
-    echo "Installing packages base linux and ${_PACKAGES} to ${1} ..."
-    pacman --root "${1}" -Sy base linux "${_PACKAGES}" --config "${_PACMAN_CONF}" --ignore systemd-resolvconf --noconfirm --cachedir "${_CACHEDIR}" >/dev/null 2>&1
+    echo "Installing packages ${_PACKAGES} to ${1} ..."
+    pacman --root "${1}" -Sy "${_PACKAGES}" --config "${_PACMAN_CONF}" --ignore systemd-resolvconf --noconfirm --cachedir "${_CACHEDIR}" >/dev/null 2>&1
 }
 
 _install_archboot() {
@@ -135,11 +135,11 @@ _install_archboot() {
 }
 
 _aarch64_install_base_packages() {
-    echo "Installing packages base linux and ${_PACKAGES} to ${1} ..."
+    echo "Installing packages ${_PACKAGES} to ${1} ..."
     if [[ -e "$(basename "${_PACMAN_CONF}")" ]]; then 
         _PACMAN_CONF=$(basename "${_PACMAN_CONF}")
     fi
-    systemd-nspawn -q -D "${1}" /bin/bash -c "pacman -Sy base linux ${_PACKAGES} --config ${_PACMAN_CONF} --ignore systemd-resolvconf --noconfirm" >/dev/null 2>&1
+    systemd-nspawn -q -D "${1}" /bin/bash -c "pacman -Sy ${_PACKAGES} --config ${_PACMAN_CONF} --ignore systemd-resolvconf --noconfirm" >/dev/null 2>&1
 }
 
 _aarch64_install_archboot() {