diff --git a/xbps-src b/xbps-src
index 3cb9db24038..65c45ada56d 100755
--- a/xbps-src
+++ b/xbps-src
@@ -435,7 +435,7 @@ while getopts "$XBPS_OPTSTRING" opt; do
         1) export XBPS_BUILD_ONLY_ONE_PKG=yes; XBPS_OPTIONS+=" -1";;
         a) readonly XBPS_CROSS_BUILD="$OPTARG"; XBPS_OPTIONS+=" -a $OPTARG";;
         C) readonly XBPS_KEEP_ALL=1; XBPS_OPTIONS+=" -C";;
-        E) readonly XBPS_BINPKG_EXISTS=1; XBPS_OPTIONS+=" -E";;
+        E) export XBPS_BINPKG_EXISTS=1; XBPS_OPTIONS+=" -E";;
         f) readonly XBPS_BUILD_FORCEMODE=1; XBPS_OPTIONS+=" -f";;
         G) readonly XBPS_USE_GIT_REVS=1; XBPS_OPTIONS+=" -G";;
         g) readonly XBPS_DEBUG_PKGS=1; XBPS_OPTIONS+=" -g";;