diff --git a/pisi/operations.py b/pisi/operations.py
index 9a033e81..d551bedf 100644
--- a/pisi/operations.py
+++ b/pisi/operations.py
@@ -415,9 +415,10 @@ def remove(A):
     if not ctx.get_option('bypass_safety'):
         if ctx.componentdb.has_component('system.base'):
             refused = A.intersection(set(ctx.componentdb.get_component('system.base').packages))
-            ctx.ui.warning(_('Safety switch: cannot remove the following packages in system.base: ') +
-                           util.strlist(refused))
-            A = A - set(ctx.componentdb.get_component('system.base').packages)
+            if refused:
+                ctx.ui.warning(_('Safety switch: cannot remove the following packages in system.base: ') +
+                               util.strlist(refused))
+                A = A - set(ctx.componentdb.get_component('system.base').packages)
         else:
             ctx.ui.warning(_('Safety switch: the component system.base cannot be found'))