diff --git a/lisp/cli/doctor.el b/lisp/cli/doctor.el
index 2a90c470d..2fd367c6a 100644
--- a/lisp/cli/doctor.el
+++ b/lisp/cli/doctor.el
@@ -246,21 +246,23 @@ in."
                     (doom-module-context-with (cons group name)
                       (let ((doctor-file   (doom-module-expand-path group name "doctor.el"))
                             (packages-file (doom-module-expand-path group name doom-module-packages-file)))
-                        (cl-loop with doom-output-indent = 6
-                                 for name in (doom-context-with 'packages
-                                               (let* (doom-packages
-                                                      doom-disabled-packages)
-                                                 (load packages-file 'noerror 'nomessage)
-                                                 (mapcar #'car doom-packages)))
-                                 unless (or (doom-package-get name :disable)
-                                            (eval (doom-package-get name :ignore))
-                                            (plist-member (doom-package-get name :recipe) :local-repo)
-                                            (locate-library (symbol-name name))
-                                            (doom-package-built-in-p name)
-                                            (doom-package-installed-p name))
-                                 do (print! (error "Missing emacs package: %S") name))
-                        (let ((inhibit-message t))
-                          (load doctor-file 'noerror 'nomessage))))
+                        (when packages-file
+                          (cl-loop with doom-output-indent = 6
+                                   for name in (doom-context-with 'packages
+                                                 (let* (doom-packages
+                                                        doom-disabled-packages)
+                                                   (load packages-file 'noerror 'nomessage)
+                                                   (mapcar #'car doom-packages)))
+                                   unless (or (doom-package-get name :disable)
+                                              (eval (doom-package-get name :ignore))
+                                              (plist-member (doom-package-get name :recipe) :local-repo)
+                                              (locate-library (symbol-name name))
+                                              (doom-package-built-in-p name)
+                                              (doom-package-installed-p name))
+                                   do (print! (error "Missing emacs package: %S") name)))
+                        (when doctor-file
+                          (let ((inhibit-message t))
+                            (load doctor-file 'noerror 'nomessage)))))
                   (file-missing (error! "%s" (error-message-string ex)))
                   (error (error! "Syntax error: %s" ex)))
                 (when (or doom-doctor--errors doom-doctor--warnings)