diff --git a/matter/matter/builder.py b/matter/matter/builder.py
index 23d911e2a..8764d2cec 100644
--- a/matter/matter/builder.py
+++ b/matter/matter/builder.py
@@ -612,7 +612,7 @@ class PackageBuilder(object):
         build_args = []
         build_args += PackageBuilder.PORTAGE_BUILD_ARGS
         build_args += PackageBuilder.PORTAGE_BUILTIN_ARGS
-        if self._pretend and "--pretend" not in myopts:
+        if self._pretend and "--pretend" not in build_args:
             build_args.append("--pretend")
         build_args += ["=" + best_v for _x, best_v in packages]
         myaction, myopts, myfiles = parse_opts(build_args)