diff --git a/meta/classes/wic-img.bbclass b/meta/classes/wic-img.bbclass
index a2c9627..b1a7259 100644
--- a/meta/classes/wic-img.bbclass
+++ b/meta/classes/wic-img.bbclass
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ EOSUDO
     export BUILDDIR=${BUILDDIR}
     export MTOOLS_SKIP_CHECK=1
     mkdir -p ${IMAGE_ROOTFS}/../pseudo
+    touch ${IMAGE_ROOTFS}/../pseudo/files.db
 
     # create the temp dir in the buildchroot to ensure uniqueness
     WICTMP=$(cd ${BUILDCHROOT_DIR}; mktemp -d -p tmp)
diff --git a/scripts/wic_fakeroot b/scripts/wic_fakeroot
index 88a03fa..16b011e 100755
--- a/scripts/wic_fakeroot
+++ b/scripts/wic_fakeroot
@@ -25,6 +25,11 @@ cmd = args[0]
 #    rootfs/root ...
 assert os.geteuid() == 0, "wic_fakeroot must be run as root!"
 
+# Check if we are calling the pseudo command itself. Return 1
+# for standalone pseudo operations.
+if cmd.startswith('-'):
+    sys.exit(0)
+
 # e2fsck <= 1.43.5 returns 1 on non-errors (stretch and before affected)
 # treat 1 as safe ... the filesystem was successfully repaired and is OK
 if cmd.startswith('fsck.'):