diff --git a/scripts/projects.py b/scripts/projects.py
index 65fe6662..ecaaddbb 100644
--- a/scripts/projects.py
+++ b/scripts/projects.py
@@ -110,6 +110,9 @@ class Projects(object):
             r = d + '/' + name
             if os.path.exists(r):
                 return r
+        if os.path.exists(f'/usr/share/doc/packages/{name}/VERSION'):
+            # The package exists but does not have a dedicated project directory
+            return None
         raise Exception('No project path found for module "{}"'.format(name))
 
     def re_section(self, name):
@@ -142,6 +145,8 @@ class Projects(object):
     # TODO: add support for customizing this in project.conf
     def htdocs_dir(self, name):
         pd = self.proj_dir(name)
+        if pd is None:
+            return None
         for r in [ pd + "/tools/html/htdocs", pd + "/htdocs", "/srv/www/proj/" + name ]:
             if isdir(r):
                 return r
@@ -704,7 +709,10 @@ class Projects(object):
                 scope = 2, add_self=True, names_only=True)
         r = ''
         for m in deps:
-            r = r + ':' + self.proj_dir(m) + '/lib'
+            pd = self.proj_dir(m)
+            if pd is None:
+                continue
+            r = r + ':' + pd + '/lib'
         print(r[1:])
 
     def cmd_pythonpath(self, args_):
@@ -715,9 +723,11 @@ class Projects(object):
                 scope = 2, add_self=True, names_only=True)
         r = ''
         for m in deps:
-            pdir = self.proj_dir(m)
+            pd = self.proj_dir(m)
+            if pd is None:
+                continue
             for subdir in [ 'src/python', 'tools/python' ]:
-                cand = pdir + "/" + subdir
+                cand = pd + "/" + subdir
                 if isdir(cand):
                     r = r + ':' + cand
         print(r[1:])
@@ -731,7 +741,10 @@ class Projects(object):
         self.debug('deps = ', deps)
         r = ''
         for m in deps:
-            r = r + ':' + self.proj_dir(m) + '/bin'
+            pd = self.proj_dir(m)
+            if pd is None:
+                continue
+            r = r + ':' + pd + '/bin'
         print(r[1:])
 
     def cmd_libname(self, args_):
@@ -758,9 +771,12 @@ class Projects(object):
         r = ''
         for m in reversed(deps):
             try:
-                r = r + ' -I' + self.proj_dir(m) + '/include'
-            except:
-                self.warn('No include path for module "{}", ignoring'.format(m))
+                pd = self.proj_dir(m)
+                if pd is None:
+                    continue
+                r = r + ' -I' + pd + '/include'
+            except Exception as e:
+                self.warn(f'No include path for module "{m}", ignoring: {e}')
         print(r[1:])
 
     def cmd_path(self, args_):
@@ -771,7 +787,10 @@ class Projects(object):
                 scope = 2, add_self=True, names_only=True)
         r = ''
         for m in deps:
-            r = r + ':' + self.proj_dir(m) + '/bin'
+            pd = self.proj_dir(m)
+            if pd is None:
+                continue
+            r = r + ':' + pd + '/bin'
         print(r[1:])
 
     # TODO: seems at least partly redundant to cmd_pkg_requires / print_pkg_relations
@@ -834,9 +853,12 @@ class Projects(object):
         r = []
         for m in args.module:
             try:
-                r.append(self.proj_dir(m))
-            except:
-                self.warn('No project directory for module "{}"'.format(module))
+                pd = self.proj_dir(m)
+                if pd is None:
+                    continue
+                r.append(pd)
+            except Exception as e:
+                self.warn(f'No project directory for module "{module}: {e}')
                 continue
         print(' '.join(r))