diff --git a/build_image b/build_image
index 17454945b5..d7ce93377b 100755
--- a/build_image
+++ b/build_image
@@ -117,6 +117,11 @@ if [ -z "${FLAGS_board}" ] ; then
   exit 1
 fi
 
+# Perform an eclean to remove packages which are not installed
+if [[ ${FLAGS_eclean} -eq ${FLAGS_TRUE} ]]; then
+  eclean-${FLAGS_board} -d packages
+fi
+
 check_blacklist() {
   info "Verifying that the base image does not contain a blacklisted package."
   info "Generating list of packages for chromeos-base/chromeos."
@@ -737,11 +742,6 @@ if [[ $FLAGS_preserve -eq ${FLAGS_TRUE} ]] ; then
   fi
 fi
 
-# Perform an eclean to remove packages which are not installed
-if [[ ${FLAGS_eclean} -eq ${FLAGS_TRUE} ]]; then
-  eclean-${FLAGS_board} -d packages
-fi
-
 # Create the boot.desc file which stores the build-time configuration
 # information needed for making the image bootable after creation with
 # cros_make_image_bootable.