diff --git a/pkg/recipe/recipe.go b/pkg/recipe/recipe.go
index 0959c6be..aed3da4e 100644
--- a/pkg/recipe/recipe.go
+++ b/pkg/recipe/recipe.go
@@ -298,7 +298,10 @@ func EnsureVersion(recipeName, version string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	logrus.Debugf("read %s as tags for recipe %s", strings.Join(parsedTags, ", "), recipeName)
+	joinedTags := strings.Join(parsedTags, ", ")
+	if joinedTags != "" {
+		logrus.Debugf("read %s as tags for recipe %s", joinedTags, recipeName)
+	}
 
 	if tagRef.String() == "" {
 		return fmt.Errorf("the local copy of %s doesn't seem to have version %s available?", recipeName, version)