diff --git a/nodepool/elements/cache-bindep/install.d/50-cache-pkgs b/nodepool/elements/cache-bindep/install.d/50-cache-pkgs
index 0b17b7f2b3..18c3745748 100755
--- a/nodepool/elements/cache-bindep/install.d/50-cache-pkgs
+++ b/nodepool/elements/cache-bindep/install.d/50-cache-pkgs
@@ -55,5 +55,5 @@ if [ -f /usr/bin/apt-get ] ; then
     # --ignore-missing conflicts with set -e, so force it to be ok
     apt-get -y --ignore-missing -d install $PACKAGELIST || true
 else
-    ${YUM} install -y --downloadonly $PACKAGELIST
+    ${YUM:-yum} install -y --downloadonly $PACKAGELIST
 fi