diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index b7fc180..05c366b 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 PATH
   remote: .
   specs:
-    ood_packaging (0.13.3)
+    ood_packaging (0.13.4)
       rake (~> 13.0.1)
 
 GEM
diff --git a/lib/ood_packaging/build.rb b/lib/ood_packaging/build.rb
index fb7a3bc..7ec9d4e 100644
--- a/lib/ood_packaging/build.rb
+++ b/lib/ood_packaging/build.rb
@@ -277,7 +277,9 @@ def install_rpm_dependencies!
   def install_deb_dependencies!
     sh "sudo apt update -y#{cmd_suffix}"
     extra_depends = config.fetch(:extra_depends, nil)
-    unless extra_depends.nil?
+    if extra_depends.nil?
+      extra_depends = ''
+    else
       extra_depends = extra_depends.split(',').map(&:strip) if extra_depends.is_a?(String)
       extra_depends.unshift('')
       extra_depends = extra_depends.join(', ')
@@ -296,7 +298,7 @@ def install_deb_dependencies!
       "#{package}-build-deps*.changes"
     ]
     Dir.chdir(deb_work_dir) do
-      sh "sed -i 's|@EXTRA_DEPENDS@|#{extra_depends}|g' debian/control#{cmd_suffix}" unless extra_depends.nil?
+      sh "sed -i 's|@EXTRA_DEPENDS@|#{extra_depends}|g' debian/control#{cmd_suffix}"
       sh "#{cmd.join(' ')}#{cmd_suffix}"
       sh "rm -f #{cleanup.join(' ')}#{cmd_suffix}"
     end
diff --git a/lib/ood_packaging/version.rb b/lib/ood_packaging/version.rb
index 9f6bfbe..d3e2ce5 100644
--- a/lib/ood_packaging/version.rb
+++ b/lib/ood_packaging/version.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 # Version code for OodPackaging
 module OodPackaging
-  VERSION = '0.13.3'
+  VERSION = '0.13.4'
   PACKAGE_VERSION = {
     'ondemand-release'        => {
       '(ubuntu|debian)' => '3.1.0',
diff --git a/spec/ood_packaging/build_spec.rb b/spec/ood_packaging/build_spec.rb
index c19949f..265adbd 100644
--- a/spec/ood_packaging/build_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/ood_packaging/build_spec.rb
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@
 
       it 'installs DEB dependencies using apt' do
         expect(build).to receive(:sh).with('sudo apt update -y 2>/dev/null 1>/dev/null')
-        expect(build).not_to receive(:sh).with(/^sed.+/)
+        expect(build).to receive(:sh).with("sed -i 's|@EXTRA_DEPENDS@||g' debian/control#{cmd_suffix}")
         expect(build).to receive(:sh).with(expected_cmd.join(' '))
         expect(build).to receive(:sh).with("rm -f #{cleanup.join(' ')} 2>/dev/null 1>/dev/null")
         build.install_dependencies!