diff --git a/generate-recipe.py b/generate-recipe.py
index 1337cad..e0fef2c 100755
--- a/generate-recipe.py
+++ b/generate-recipe.py
@@ -104,9 +104,6 @@ else:
 # deb http://deb.debian.org/debian %s main %s
 """ % (backports_suite, firmware_component)
 
-# Buster requires an existing, empty /etc/machine-id file:
-touch_machine_id = 'echo "uninitialized" > /etc/machine-id'
-
 # Buster shipped timesyncd directly into systemd:
 systemd_timesyncd = 'systemd-timesyncd'
 
@@ -149,7 +146,6 @@ with open('raspi_master.yaml', 'r') as in_file:
             .replace('__BLUETOOTH_FIRMWARE__', bluetooth_firmware) \
             .replace('__SERIAL_CONSOLE__', serial) \
             .replace('__HOST__', hostname) \
-            .replace('__TOUCH_MACHINE_ID__', touch_machine_id) \
             .replace('__GITCOMMIT__', gitcommit) \
             .replace('__BUILDTIME__', buildtime)
 
diff --git a/raspi_master.yaml b/raspi_master.yaml
index f723c89..178e86c 100644
--- a/raspi_master.yaml
+++ b/raspi_master.yaml
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ steps:
   - chroot: tag-root
     shell: |
       rm -f /etc/machine-id /var/lib/dbus/machine-id
-      __TOUCH_MACHINE_ID__
+      echo "uninitialized" > /etc/machine-id
 
   # Create /etc/raspi-image-id to know, from what commit the image was built
   - chroot: tag-root