diff --git a/target/imagebuilder/Makefile b/target/imagebuilder/Makefile
index ef32d2cf7c0..7fd2aa0920e 100644
--- a/target/imagebuilder/Makefile
+++ b/target/imagebuilder/Makefile
@@ -43,24 +43,29 @@ $(BIN_DIR)/$(IB_NAME).tar.zst: clean
 
 	$(INSTALL_DIR) $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/packages
 
-ifeq ($(CONFIG_IB_STANDALONE),)
 ifneq ($(CONFIG_USE_APK),)
+  ifeq ($(CONFIG_IB_STANDALONE),)
 	$(call FeedSourcesAppendAPK,$(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/repositories)
 	$(VERSION_SED_SCRIPT) $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/repositories
+  endif
+
+	$(INSTALL_DATA) ./files/README.apk.md $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/packages/README.md
 else
+  ifeq ($(CONFIG_IB_STANDALONE),)
 	echo '## Remote package repositories' >> $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/repositories.conf
 	$(call FeedSourcesAppendOPKG,$(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/repositories.conf)
 	$(VERSION_SED_SCRIPT) $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/repositories.conf
 
+  endif
+
 	# create an empty package index so `opkg` doesn't report an error
 	touch $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/packages/Packages
-	$(INSTALL_DATA) ./files/README.md $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/packages/
+	$(INSTALL_DATA) ./files/README.opkg.md $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/packages/README.md
 
 	echo ''                                                        >> $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/repositories.conf
 	echo '## This is the local package repository, do not remove!' >> $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/repositories.conf
 	echo 'src imagebuilder file:packages'                          >> $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/repositories.conf
 endif
-endif
 
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_BUILDBOT),)
   ifeq ($(CONFIG_IB_STANDALONE),)
diff --git a/target/imagebuilder/files/README.apk.md b/target/imagebuilder/files/README.apk.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e82a937e37d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/target/imagebuilder/files/README.apk.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# ./packages folder
+
+Add `.apk` packages to this folder will allow the ImageBuilder to install them.
+
+For more complex setups consider adding a custom feed containing packages.
+
+    file:///path/to/Packages.adb
+
+Whenever the ImageBuilder builds a firmware image this folder will be reloaded
+and a new package index created.
diff --git a/target/imagebuilder/files/README.md b/target/imagebuilder/files/README.opkg.md
similarity index 100%
rename from target/imagebuilder/files/README.md
rename to target/imagebuilder/files/README.opkg.md