diff --git a/command/registry.go b/command/registry.go
index 960049197..60ba0e1f0 100644
--- a/command/registry.go
+++ b/command/registry.go
@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ func setupRegistryForPackerConfig(pc *hcl2template.PackerConfig) hcl.Diagnostics
 		hasHCP = true
 	}
 
+	if env.IsHCPExplicitelyEnabled() {
+		hasHCP = true
+	}
+
 	if !hasHCP {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -270,7 +274,7 @@ func setupRegistryForPackerCore(cfg *CoreWrapper) hcl.Diagnostics {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	if !env.HasPackerRegistryBucket() {
+	if !env.HasPackerRegistryBucket() && !env.IsHCPExplicitelyEnabled() {
 		return nil
 	}
 
diff --git a/internal/registry/env/env.go b/internal/registry/env/env.go
index beb9397ef..5661e5bd9 100644
--- a/internal/registry/env/env.go
+++ b/internal/registry/env/env.go
@@ -44,3 +44,9 @@ func IsHCPDisabled() bool {
 	hcp, ok := os.LookupEnv(HCPPackerRegistry)
 	return ok && strings.ToLower(hcp) == "off" || hcp == "0"
 }
+
+// IsHCPExplicitelyEnabled returns true if the client enabled HCP_PACKER_REGISTRY explicitely, i.e. it is defined and not 0 or off
+func IsHCPExplicitelyEnabled() bool {
+	hcp, ok := os.LookupEnv(HCPPackerRegistry)
+	return ok && strings.ToLower(hcp) != "off" && hcp != "0"
+}