diff --git a/hosts/models.py b/hosts/models.py
index 37e67779..ea8409b8 100644
--- a/hosts/models.py
+++ b/hosts/models.py
@@ -576,11 +576,14 @@ def find_deb_kernel_updates(self, kernel_packages, repo_packages, hostrepos):
                     break
             if prefix is None or prefix in processed_prefixes:
                 continue
-            processed_prefixes.add(prefix)
 
-            # extract kernel series (e.g. '6.8') to avoid cross-track
-            # comparisons (GA 6.8 vs HWE 6.17 in the same repo)
+            # skip meta-packages (e.g. linux-image-generic) that have no series;
+            # the versioned package (e.g. linux-image-5.15.0-176-generic) will
+            # handle the update check and correctly filter cross-series packages
             installed_series = self.get_deb_kernel_series(pkg_name)
+            if installed_series is None:
+                continue
+            processed_prefixes.add(prefix)
 
             # build endswith filter for flavoured kernels
             name_filter = Q(