diff --git a/bob/devtools/bootstrap.py b/bob/devtools/bootstrap.py
index 837bb485ea094c311c9f7d2db7ee35208cce8c64..294674075ef08a80194b9687677246bc7c679278 100644
--- a/bob/devtools/bootstrap.py
+++ b/bob/devtools/bootstrap.py
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ def install_miniconda(prefix, name):
         shutil.rmtree(cached)
 
 
-def get_channels(public, stable, server, intranet, group):
+def get_channels(public, stable, server, intranet, group, add_dependent_channels=False):
     """Returns the relevant conda channels to consider if building project.
 
     The subset of channels to be returned depends on the visibility and
@@ -310,6 +310,8 @@ def get_channels(public, stable, server, intranet, group):
         compiling is part of.  Values should match URL namespaces currently
         available on our internal webserver.  Currently, only "bob" or "beat"
         will work.
+      add_dependent_channels: If True, will add the defaults and conda-forge
+        channels to the list
 
 
     Returns: a list of channels that need to be considered.
@@ -347,6 +349,9 @@ def get_channels(public, stable, server, intranet, group):
         )
     ]
 
+    if add_dependent_channels:
+        channels += ["defaults", "conda-forge"]
+
     return channels, upload_channel
 
 
@@ -516,9 +521,13 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
         conda_bld_path = os.path.join(args.conda_root, "conda-bld")
         run_cmdline([conda_bin, "index", conda_bld_path])
         channels, _ = get_channels(
-            public=True, stable=True, server=_SERVER, intranet=True, group="bob"
+            public=True,
+            stable=True,
+            server=_SERVER,
+            intranet=True,
+            group="bob",
+            add_dependent_channels=True,
         )
-        channels += ["defaults"]
         channels = (
             ["--override-channels"]
             + ["--channel=" + conda_bld_path]
@@ -541,9 +550,9 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
             server=_SERVER,
             intranet=True,
             group="bob",
+            add_dependent_channels=True,
         )
 
-        channels += ["defaults"]
         channels = ["--override-channels"] + ["--channel=%s" % k for k in channels]
         conda_cmd = "install" if args.envname in ("base", "root") else "create"
         cmd = (
diff --git a/bob/devtools/build.py b/bob/devtools/build.py
index 5b8f99582b8c578181f21495331e8b61130ac420..0e7178c24380a0fee689b7b0666fe51d06c94c3b 100644
--- a/bob/devtools/build.py
+++ b/bob/devtools/build.py
@@ -602,11 +602,16 @@ def base_build(
 
     # if you get to this point, tries to build the package
     channels, upload_channel = bootstrap.get_channels(
-        public=True, stable=True, server=server, intranet=intranet, group=group
+        public=True,
+        stable=True,
+        server=server,
+        intranet=intranet,
+        group=group,
+        add_dependent_channels=True,
     )
 
     if "channels" not in condarc_options:
-        condarc_options["channels"] = channels + ["defaults"]
+        condarc_options["channels"] = channels
 
     logger.info(
         "Using the following channels during (potential) build:\n  - %s",
diff --git a/bob/devtools/scripts/build.py b/bob/devtools/scripts/build.py
index e7e557547bb424ac24943f236d03e82fa468c88b..99b859c1893d8d82ec78ec047c312f61a21f562c 100644
--- a/bob/devtools/scripts/build.py
+++ b/bob/devtools/scripts/build.py
@@ -198,10 +198,11 @@ def build(
         server=server,
         intranet=ci,
         group=group,
+        add_dependent_channels=True,
     )
 
     if "channels" not in condarc_options:
-        condarc_options["channels"] = channels + ["defaults"]
+        condarc_options["channels"] = channels
 
     logger.info(
         "Using the following channels during (potential) build:\n  - %s",
diff --git a/bob/devtools/scripts/create.py b/bob/devtools/scripts/create.py
index 30e87a88bcd8d7b697c47e6a5d2d8eba515c670b..426c1bf0eb184753cdf7ef9e2ac26c6c8c95eea3 100644
--- a/bob/devtools/scripts/create.py
+++ b/bob/devtools/scripts/create.py
@@ -256,8 +256,9 @@ def create(
             server=server,
             intranet=private,
             group=group,
+            add_dependent_channels=True,
         )
-        condarc_options["channels"] = channels + ["defaults"]
+        condarc_options["channels"] = channels
 
     logger.info(
         "Using the following channels during environment creation:" "\n  - %s",
diff --git a/bob/devtools/scripts/graph.py b/bob/devtools/scripts/graph.py
index 9c18d1a86499dd05ce8817722d8bbd674d545147..685ccec7e93868e4beb6676afd118a5c0a73b380 100644
--- a/bob/devtools/scripts/graph.py
+++ b/bob/devtools/scripts/graph.py
@@ -178,6 +178,7 @@ def graph(
         server=server,
         intranet=ci,
         group=package_group,
+        add_dependent_channels=True,
     )
 
     if condarc is not None:
@@ -189,7 +190,7 @@ def graph(
         condarc_options = yaml.load(BASE_CONDARC, Loader=yaml.FullLoader)
 
     if "channels" not in condarc_options:
-        condarc_options["channels"] = channels + ["defaults"]
+        condarc_options["channels"] = channels
 
     logger.info(
         "Using the following channels during graph operation:\n  - %s",
diff --git a/bob/devtools/scripts/rebuild.py b/bob/devtools/scripts/rebuild.py
index e653af0bb3d56e5ca7e4c71edeb25be2a51e105a..501b337203b9b19ded85aafc8f0b2b09c5be8d3c 100644
--- a/bob/devtools/scripts/rebuild.py
+++ b/bob/devtools/scripts/rebuild.py
@@ -183,6 +183,7 @@ def rebuild(
         server=server,
         intranet=ci,
         group=group,
+        add_dependent_channels=True,
     )
 
     if condarc is not None:
@@ -194,7 +195,7 @@ def rebuild(
         condarc_options = yaml.load(BASE_CONDARC, Loader=yaml.FullLoader)
 
     if "channels" not in condarc_options:
-        condarc_options["channels"] = channels + ["defaults"]
+        condarc_options["channels"] = channels
 
     logger.info(
         "Using the following channels during (potential) build:\n  - %s",
diff --git a/bob/devtools/scripts/test.py b/bob/devtools/scripts/test.py
index 58e3b3a324b776d5a205fe888389f764cfe17a31..d1f9c038a7b57c20cb1f98048cca5911b05ef3d3 100644
--- a/bob/devtools/scripts/test.py
+++ b/bob/devtools/scripts/test.py
@@ -168,9 +168,14 @@ def test(
         from ..bootstrap import get_channels
 
         channels, _ = get_channels(
-            public=(not private), stable=stable, server=server, intranet=ci, group=group
+            public=(not private),
+            stable=stable,
+            server=server,
+            intranet=ci,
+            group=group,
+            add_dependent_channels=True,
         )
-        condarc_options["channels"] = channels + ["defaults"]
+        condarc_options["channels"] = channels
 
     logger.info(
         "Using the following channels during (potential) build:\n  - %s",