diff --git a/utils/sh/binpkg-genindex.sh b/utils/sh/binpkg-genindex.sh
index c83111dc526..fcefc35bd83 100644
--- a/utils/sh/binpkg-genindex.sh
+++ b/utils/sh/binpkg-genindex.sh
@@ -35,9 +35,15 @@ write_repo_pkgindex()
 	local pkgindexf=
 	local tmppkgdir=
 	local i=
+	local found=
 
 	[ ! -d $XBPS_PACKAGESDIR ] && exit 1
 
+	found="$(echo $XBPS_PACKAGESDIR/*)"
+	if $(echo $found|grep -vq .xbps); then
+		msg_error "couldn't find binary packages on $XBPS_PACKAGESDIR."
+	fi
+
 	pkgindexf=$(mktemp -t pkgidx.XXXXXXXXXX) || exit 1
 	tmppkgdir=$(mktemp -d -t pkgdir.XXXXXXXX) || exit 1