diff --git a/meta/recipes-connectivity/openssl/files/environment.d-openssl.sh b/meta/recipes-connectivity/openssl/files/environment.d-openssl.sh
index f90088aab7f..aadf1edcb6b 100644
--- a/meta/recipes-connectivity/openssl/files/environment.d-openssl.sh
+++ b/meta/recipes-connectivity/openssl/files/environment.d-openssl.sh
@@ -3,4 +3,4 @@ export SSL_CERT_DIR="$OECORE_NATIVE_SYSROOT/usr/lib/ssl/certs"
 export SSL_CERT_FILE="$OECORE_NATIVE_SYSROOT/usr/lib/ssl/certs/ca-certificates.crt"
 export OPENSSL_MODULES="$OECORE_NATIVE_SYSROOT/usr/lib/ossl-modules/"
 export OPENSSL_ENGINES="$OECORE_NATIVE_SYSROOT/usr/lib/engines-3"
-export BB_ENV_PASSTHROUGH_ADDITIONS="$BB_ENV_PASSTHROUGH_ADDITIONS SSL_CERT_DIR SSL_CERT_FILE OPENSSL_CONF OPENSSL_MODULES OPENSSL_ENGINES"
+export BB_ENV_PASSTHROUGH_ADDITIONS="${BB_ENV_PASSTHROUGH_ADDITIONS:-} SSL_CERT_DIR SSL_CERT_FILE OPENSSL_CONF OPENSSL_MODULES OPENSSL_ENGINES"