diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bblayers/action.py b/bitbake/lib/bblayers/action.py
index 76a2c5acd2..f26b34d0cb 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bblayers/action.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bblayers/action.py
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ class ActionPlugin(LayerPlugin):
 
     def do_remove_layer(self, args):
         """Remove one or more layers from bblayers.conf."""
-        bblayers_conf = os.path.join('conf', 'bblayers.conf')
+        bblayers_conf = os.path.join(os.environ['BUILDDIR'], 'conf', 'bblayers.conf')
         if not os.path.exists(bblayers_conf):
             sys.stderr.write("Unable to find bblayers.conf\n")
             return 1