diff --git a/script/generate-licenses b/script/generate-licenses
index 7ae0f1c3f60b93eb500ffa5e127a96c82d954b72..771ce2363d0e46856393d0aea3d72d484519353a 100755
--- a/script/generate-licenses
+++ b/script/generate-licenses
@@ -36,8 +36,9 @@ fi
 
 echo "Generating cargo licenses"
 if [ -z "${ALLOW_MISSING_LICENSES-}" ]; then FAIL_FLAG=--fail; else FAIL_FLAG=""; fi
+if [ -z "${ALLOW_MISSING_LICENSES-}" ]; then WRAPPER=fail_on_stderr; else WRAPPER=""; fi
 set -x
-fail_on_stderr cargo about generate \
+$WRAPPER cargo about generate \
     $FAIL_FLAG \
     -c script/licenses/zed-licenses.toml \
     "$TEMPLATE_FILE" >>"$OUTPUT_FILE"