diff --git a/release/Makefile b/release/Makefile
--- a/release/Makefile
+++ b/release/Makefile
@@ -190,9 +190,10 @@
 	done
 .if ${.MAKE.OS} == "FreeBSD" && (!defined(NOPKG) || empty(NOPKG))
 # Install packages onto release media.
-	${PKG_INSTALL} pkg || true
-	${PKG_INSTALL} wifi-firmware-kmod-release || true
-	${PKG_CLEAN} || true
+# Must cd to .TARGET to append to the correct METALOG
+	(cd ${.TARGET} && ${PKG_INSTALL} pkg || true)
+	(cd ${.TARGET} && ${PKG_INSTALL} wifi-firmware-kmod-release || true)
+	(cd ${.TARGET} && ${PKG_CLEAN} || true)
 .endif
 # Set up installation environment
 	ln -fs /tmp/bsdinstall_etc/resolv.conf ${.TARGET}/etc/resolv.conf
@@ -229,8 +230,9 @@
 	echo "./usr/freebsd-dist/MANIFEST type=file uname=root gname=wheel mode=0644" >> ${.TARGET}/METALOG
 .if ${.MAKE.OS} == "FreeBSD" && (!defined(NOPKG) || empty(NOPKG))
 # Install packages onto release media.
-	${PKG_INSTALL} pkg || true
-	${PKG_CLEAN} || true
+# Must cd to .TARGET to append to the correct METALOG
+	(cd ${.TARGET} && ${PKG_INSTALL} pkg || true)
+	(cd ${.TARGET} && ${PKG_CLEAN} || true)
 .endif
 # Set up installation environment
 	ln -fs /tmp/bsdinstall_etc/resolv.conf ${.TARGET}/etc/resolv.conf
@@ -265,9 +267,10 @@
 	done
 .if ${.MAKE.OS} == "FreeBSD" && (!defined(NOPKG) || empty(NOPKG))
 # Install packages onto release media.
-	${PKG_INSTALL} pkg || true
-	${PKG_INSTALL} wifi-firmware-kmod-release || true
-	${PKG_CLEAN} || true
+# Must cd to .TARGET to append to the correct METALOG
+	(cd ${.TARGET} && ${PKG_INSTALL} pkg || true)
+	(cd ${.TARGET} && ${PKG_INSTALL} wifi-firmware-kmod-release || true)
+	(cd ${.TARGET} && ${PKG_CLEAN} || true)
 .endif
 # Set up installation environment
 	ln -fs /tmp/bsdinstall_etc/resolv.conf ${.TARGET}/etc/resolv.conf