diff --git a/generate-recipe.py b/generate-recipe.py
index 65b0f1c..a1e5005 100755
--- a/generate-recipe.py
+++ b/generate-recipe.py
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ else:
 if suite == 'buster':
     touch_machine_id = 'touch /etc/machine-id'
 else:
-    touch_machine_id = ''
+    touch_machine_id = 'echo "uninitialized" > /etc/machine-id'
 
 # Buster shipped timesyncd directly into systemd:
 if suite == 'buster':