diff --git a/meta/classes/packagegroup.bbclass b/meta/classes/packagegroup.bbclass
index 557b1b6382ba..cffdaadbde0e 100644
--- a/meta/classes/packagegroup.bbclass
+++ b/meta/classes/packagegroup.bbclass
@@ -31,9 +31,11 @@ python () {
         packages = [pkg + suffix for pkg in packages
                     for suffix in types]
         d.setVar('PACKAGES', ' '.join(packages))
+        d.appendVar('PACKAGEVARS', ' DISTRO_FEATURES')
     for pkg in packages:
         d.setVar('ALLOW_EMPTY:%s' % pkg, '1')
 }
+PACKAGEVARS += 'PACKAGEGROUP_DISABLE_COMPLEMENTARY'
 
 # We don't want to look at shared library dependencies for the
 # dbg packages