diff --git a/common/environment/fetch/fetch_cmd.sh b/common/environment/fetch/fetch_cmd.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2efc359507d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/environment/fetch/fetch_cmd.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+#
+# Sets the fetch_cmd variable used by hooks/do-fetch/00-distfiles.sh
+#
+: ${fetch_cmd:=$XBPS_FETCH_CMD}