diff --git a/ansible/roles/dev-tools/defaults/main.yml b/ansible/roles/dev-tools/defaults/main.yml
index b2f843617..adeac39e1 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/dev-tools/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/dev-tools/defaults/main.yml
@@ -15,4 +15,4 @@ dev_tools_packages_system:
   - acl
 
 # List of packages to install.
-dev_tools_packages: "{{ dev_tools_packages_default + dev_tools_packages_extra + dev_tools_packages_system }}"
+dev_tools_packages: "{{ (dev_tools_packages_default + dev_tools_packages_extra + dev_tools_packages_system) | select | list }}"
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/dev-tools-packages-select-filter-17f432df42762625.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/dev-tools-packages-select-filter-17f432df42762625.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..255cc8301
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/dev-tools-packages-select-filter-17f432df42762625.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    Fixes support for empty strings in the ``dev-tools`` package lists. This
+    allows using expressions such as ``{{ 'foo' if os_distribution == 'rocky'
+    else '' }}``.
+    `LP#2115000 <https://bugs.launchpad.net/kayobe/+bug/2115000>`__