diff --git a/pungi/phases/gather/methods/method_deps.py b/pungi/phases/gather/methods/method_deps.py
index 6d1f8627..4306c7f5 100644
--- a/pungi/phases/gather/methods/method_deps.py
+++ b/pungi/phases/gather/methods/method_deps.py
@@ -37,13 +37,18 @@ class GatherMethodDeps(pungi.phases.gather.method.GatherMethodBase):
         #     "debuginfo": [],
         # }
 
-        write_pungi_config(self.compose, arch, variant, packages, groups, filter_packages, multilib_whitelist, multilib_blacklist, package_set=package_sets[arch], fulltree_excludes=fulltree_excludes, prepopulate=prepopulate)
+        write_pungi_config(self.compose, arch, variant, packages, groups, filter_packages,
+                           multilib_whitelist, multilib_blacklist, package_set=package_sets[arch],
+                           fulltree_excludes=fulltree_excludes, prepopulate=prepopulate)
         result = resolve_deps(self.compose, arch, variant)
         check_deps(self.compose, arch, variant)
         return result
 
 
-def write_pungi_config(compose, arch, variant, packages, groups, filter_packages, multilib_whitelist, multilib_blacklist, repos=None, comps_repo=None, package_set=None, fulltree_excludes=None, prepopulate=None):
+def write_pungi_config(compose, arch, variant, packages, groups, filter_packages,
+                       multilib_whitelist, multilib_blacklist, repos=None,
+                       comps_repo=None, package_set=None, fulltree_excludes=None,
+                       prepopulate=None):
     """write pungi config (kickstart) for arch/variant"""
     pungi_wrapper = PungiWrapper()
     pungi_cfg = compose.paths.work.pungi_conf(variant=variant, arch=arch)
@@ -77,7 +82,17 @@ def write_pungi_config(compose, arch, variant, packages, groups, filter_packages
         else:
             filter_packages_str.append(pkg_name)
 
-    pungi_wrapper.write_kickstart(ks_path=pungi_cfg, repos=repos, groups=groups, packages=packages_str, exclude_packages=filter_packages_str, comps_repo=comps_repo, lookaside_repos=lookaside_repos, fulltree_excludes=fulltree_excludes, multilib_whitelist=multilib_whitelist, multilib_blacklist=multilib_blacklist, prepopulate=prepopulate)
+    if not groups and not packages_str and not prepopulate:
+        raise RuntimeError(
+            'No packages included in %s.%s (no comps groups, no input packages, no prepopulate)'
+            % (variant.uid, arch))
+
+    pungi_wrapper.write_kickstart(
+        ks_path=pungi_cfg, repos=repos, groups=groups, packages=packages_str,
+        exclude_packages=filter_packages_str, comps_repo=comps_repo,
+        lookaside_repos=lookaside_repos, fulltree_excludes=fulltree_excludes,
+        multilib_whitelist=multilib_whitelist, multilib_blacklist=multilib_blacklist,
+        prepopulate=prepopulate)
 
 
 def resolve_deps(compose, arch, variant):
diff --git a/tests/test_gather_method_deps.py b/tests/test_gather_method_deps.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ab97a1bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_gather_method_deps.py
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+
+import mock
+import os
+import sys
+
+sys.path.insert(0, os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), ".."))
+
+from pungi.phases.gather.methods import method_deps as deps
+from tests import helpers
+
+
+class TestWritePungiConfig(helpers.PungiTestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(TestWritePungiConfig, self).setUp()
+        self.compose = helpers.DummyCompose(self.topdir, {})
+        self.compose.DEBUG = False
+
+    def assertWritten(self, PungiWrapper, **kwargs):
+        wrapper = PungiWrapper.return_value
+        self.assertEqual(wrapper.mock_calls,
+                         [mock.call.write_kickstart(**kwargs)])
+
+    @mock.patch('pungi.phases.gather.methods.method_deps.PungiWrapper')
+    def test_correct(self, PungiWrapper):
+        pkgs = [('pkg1', None), ('pkg2', 'x86_64')]
+        grps = ['grp1']
+        filter = [('pkg3', None), ('pkg4', 'x86_64')]
+        white = mock.Mock()
+        black = mock.Mock()
+        comps_repo = mock.Mock()
+        prepopulate = mock.Mock()
+        fulltree = mock.Mock()
+        deps.write_pungi_config(self.compose, 'x86_64', self.compose.variants['Server'],
+                                pkgs, grps, filter, white, black, comps_repo=comps_repo,
+                                prepopulate=prepopulate, fulltree_excludes=fulltree)
+        self.assertWritten(PungiWrapper, packages=['pkg1', 'pkg2.x86_64'],
+                           ks_path=self.topdir + '/work/x86_64/pungi/Server.x86_64.conf',
+                           lookaside_repos={}, multilib_whitelist=white, multilib_blacklist=black,
+                           groups=['grp1'], prepopulate=prepopulate,
+                           repos={'pungi-repo': self.topdir + '/work/x86_64/repo'},
+                           exclude_packages=['pkg3', 'pkg4.x86_64'],
+                           fulltree_excludes=fulltree,
+                           comps_repo=comps_repo)
+
+    @mock.patch('pungi.phases.gather.get_lookaside_repos')
+    @mock.patch('pungi.phases.gather.methods.method_deps.PungiWrapper')
+    def test_with_lookaside(self, PungiWrapper, glr):
+        glr.return_value = ['http://example.com/repo']
+        pkgs = [('pkg1', None)]
+        deps.write_pungi_config(self.compose, 'x86_64', self.compose.variants['Server'],
+                                pkgs, [], [], [], [])
+        self.assertWritten(PungiWrapper, packages=['pkg1'],
+                           ks_path=self.topdir + '/work/x86_64/pungi/Server.x86_64.conf',
+                           lookaside_repos={'lookaside-repo-0': 'http://example.com/repo'},
+                           multilib_whitelist=[], multilib_blacklist=[],
+                           groups=[], prepopulate=None,
+                           repos={'pungi-repo': self.topdir + '/work/x86_64/repo'},
+                           exclude_packages=[], fulltree_excludes=None, comps_repo=None)
+        self.assertEqual(glr.call_args_list,
+                         [mock.call(self.compose, 'x86_64', self.compose.variants['Server'])])
+
+    @mock.patch('pungi.phases.gather.methods.method_deps.PungiWrapper')
+    def test_without_input(self, PungiWrapper):
+        with self.assertRaises(RuntimeError) as ctx:
+            deps.write_pungi_config(self.compose, 'x86_64', self.compose.variants['Server'],
+                                    [], [], [], [], [])
+        self.assertEqual(
+            str(ctx.exception),
+            'No packages included in Server.x86_64 (no comps groups, no input packages, no prepopulate)')
+        self.assertEqual(PungiWrapper.return_value.mock_calls, [])