diff --git a/meta/conf/layer.conf b/meta/conf/layer.conf
index 5287417717..3f63c7dd51 100644
--- a/meta/conf/layer.conf
+++ b/meta/conf/layer.conf
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
 BBPATH ?= ""
 # We have a conf and classes directory, add to BBPATH
-BBPATH := "${BBPATH}:${LAYERDIR}"
-
+BBPATH .= ":${LAYERDIR}"
 # We have a packages directory, add to BBFILES
-BBFILES := "${BBFILES} ${LAYERDIR}/packages/*/*.bb ${LAYERDIR}/recipes-*/*/*.bb"
+BBFILES += "${LAYERDIR}/packages/*/*.bb ${LAYERDIR}/recipes-*/*/*.bb"
 
 BBFILE_COLLECTIONS += "normal"
 BBFILE_PATTERN_normal := "^${LAYERDIR}/"