diff --git a/makechrootpkg.in b/makechrootpkg.in
index 5329f76b434b199b1348536c66741b7e6065414c..31d57d34b194528da26719de05a1929566f549c5 100644
--- a/makechrootpkg.in
+++ b/makechrootpkg.in
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ m4_include(lib/archroot.sh)
 
 shopt -s nullglob
 
-makepkg_args=(-s --noconfirm -L --holdver)
+default_makepkg_args=(-s --noconfirm -L --holdver)
+makepkg_args=("${default_makepkg_args[@]}")
 repack=false
 update_first=false
 clean_first=false
@@ -54,7 +55,7 @@ usage() {
 	echo 'from makepkg.conf(5), if those variables are not part of the'
 	echo 'environment.'
 	echo ''
-	echo "Default makepkg args: ${makepkg_args[*]}"
+	echo "Default makepkg args: ${default_makepkg_args[*]}"
 	echo ''
 	echo 'Flags:'
 	echo '-h         This help'