diff --git a/meta/recipes-devtools/python/python-smartpm/smart-channelsdir.patch b/meta/recipes-devtools/python/python-smartpm/smart-channelsdir.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e621b33875
--- /dev/null
+++ b/meta/recipes-devtools/python/python-smartpm/smart-channelsdir.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+Make CHANNELSDIR in smart empty, since this causes host contamination issues
+on some RPM-based hosts on which smart is already installed.
+
+[YOCTO #3881]
+
+Upstream-Status: Inappropriate [embedded specific]
+
+diff --git a/smart/plugins/channelsync.py b/smart/plugins/channelsync.py
+index 3ba95ff..646d696 100644
+--- a/smart/plugins/channelsync.py
++++ b/smart/plugins/channelsync.py
+@@ -23,7 +23,11 @@ from smart.channel import *
+ from smart import *
+ import os
+ 
+-CHANNELSDIR = "/etc/smart/channels/"
++# For now, we leave the definition of CHANNELSDIR empty. This prevents smart
++# from erroneously consider the  build host's channels while setting up its
++# channels [YOCTO #3881]. If this feature will be used in the future, CHANNELSDIR
++# should be set to a proper value.
++CHANNELSDIR = ""
+ 
+ def syncChannels(channelsdir, force=None):
+ 
diff --git a/meta/recipes-devtools/python/python-smartpm_1.4.1.bb b/meta/recipes-devtools/python/python-smartpm_1.4.1.bb
index d92933fa3a..001d9e4d02 100644
--- a/meta/recipes-devtools/python/python-smartpm_1.4.1.bb
+++ b/meta/recipes-devtools/python/python-smartpm_1.4.1.bb
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ LICENSE = "GPLv2"
 LIC_FILES_CHKSUM = "file://LICENSE;md5=393a5ca445f6965873eca0259a17f833"
 
 DEPENDS = "python rpm"
-PR = "r8"
+PR = "r9"
 SRCNAME = "smart"
 
 SRC_URI = "\
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ SRC_URI = "\
           file://smart-improve-error-reporting.patch \
           file://smart-multilib-fixes.patch \
           file://smart-yaml-error.patch \
+          file://smart-channelsdir.patch \
           "
 
 SRC_URI[md5sum] = "573ef32ba177a6b3c4bf7ef04873fcb6"