My finding is: ...only if *artifacts* (also) includes a rootfs.

The image class dependency on rootfs seems very hardcoded. I cannot create a recipe that works without *creating* a rootfs.

(even though I have no rootfs other than the initramfs image which is already there, as an *artifact*).

inherit image

IMAGE_FSTYPES = "wic"
DEPENDS += "my-initramfs"

IMAGE_FEATURES = ""
IMAGE_INSTALL = ""

# This image does not generate its own root filesystem

# I have tried to exclude it, but it's hardcoded even in buildhistory.

#do_rootfs[noexec] = "1"
#do_image[noexec] = "1"
#do_image_wic[noexec] = "1"
#do_rootfs_wicenv[noexec] = "1"

WKS_FILE = "my-disk-image.wks"
my-disk-image.wks:
part /boot --source bootimg-efi
--sourceparams="loader=grub-efi,initrd=my-initramfs.cpio.gz" --ondisk
sda --label msdos --active --align 1024 --use-uuid
bootloader --ptable gpt --timeout=1