diff --git a/meta/classes-recipe/toolchain-scripts.bbclass b/meta/classes-recipe/toolchain-scripts.bbclass
index 3cc823fe63..fa658a6596 100644
--- a/meta/classes-recipe/toolchain-scripts.bbclass
+++ b/meta/classes-recipe/toolchain-scripts.bbclass
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ toolchain_create_sdk_env_script () {
 	echo '# http://tldp.org/HOWTO/Program-Library-HOWTO/shared-libraries.html#AEN80' >> $script
 	echo '# http://xahlee.info/UnixResource_dir/_/ldpath.html' >> $script
 	echo '# Only disable this check if you are absolutely know what you are doing!' >> $script
-	echo 'if [ ! -z "$LD_LIBRARY_PATH" ]; then' >> $script
+	echo 'if [ ! -z "${LD_LIBRARY_PATH:-}" ]; then' >> $script
 	echo "    echo \"Your environment is misconfigured, you probably need to 'unset LD_LIBRARY_PATH'\"" >> $script
 	echo "    echo \"but please check why this was set in the first place and that it's safe to unset.\"" >> $script
 	echo '    echo "The SDK will not operate correctly in most cases when LD_LIBRARY_PATH is set."' >> $script