diff --git a/src/libcmd/installables.cc b/src/libcmd/installables.cc
index a2b882355..684d76a57 100644
--- a/src/libcmd/installables.cc
+++ b/src/libcmd/installables.cc
@@ -730,9 +730,9 @@ void RawInstallablesCommand::run(ref<Store> store)
         while (std::cin >> word) {
             rawInstallables.emplace_back(std::move(word));
         }
+    } else {
+        applyDefaultInstallables(rawInstallables);
     }
-
-    applyDefaultInstallables(rawInstallables);
     run(store, std::move(rawInstallables));
 }