diff --git a/chef/cookbooks/mysql/recipes/ruby.rb b/chef/cookbooks/mysql/recipes/ruby.rb
index b853ec3..4188ba7 100644
--- a/chef/cookbooks/mysql/recipes/ruby.rb
+++ b/chef/cookbooks/mysql/recipes/ruby.rb
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ node['mysql']['client']['packages'].each do |name|
   resources("package[#{name}]").run_action(:install)
 end
 
-if node['local_repo'] == ""
+if node['local_repo'].nil? or node['local_repo'] == ""
   chef_gem 'mysql'
 else
   gem_package 'mysql' do
diff --git a/chef/cookbooks/openstack-image/recipes/image_upload.rb b/chef/cookbooks/openstack-image/recipes/image_upload.rb
index 1211775..d6ad807 100644
--- a/chef/cookbooks/openstack-image/recipes/image_upload.rb
+++ b/chef/cookbooks/openstack-image/recipes/image_upload.rb
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ if node['openstack']['image']['syslog']['use']
   include_recipe 'openstack-common::logging'
 end
 
-if node['local_repo'] != ""
+unless node['local_repo'].nil? or node['local_repo'] == ""
   node.override['openstack']['image']['upload_image']['cirros'] = "#{node['local_repo']}/cirros-0.3.2-x86_64-disk.img"
 end
 
diff --git a/chef/cookbooks/yum/providers/repository.rb b/chef/cookbooks/yum/providers/repository.rb
index e79dccf..7e6dbaa 100644
--- a/chef/cookbooks/yum/providers/repository.rb
+++ b/chef/cookbooks/yum/providers/repository.rb
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ def whyrun_supported?
 end
 
 action :create  do
-  if node['local_repo'] == ""
+  if node['local_repo'].nil? or node['local_repo'] == ""
     # Hack around the lack of "use_inline_resources" before Chef 11 by
     # uniquely naming the execute[yum-makecache] resources. Set the
     # notifies timing to :immediately for the same reasons. Remove both