diff --git a/meta/conf/bitbake.conf b/meta/conf/bitbake.conf
index 8878a54a5a8..19bd7ecc7bb 100644
--- a/meta/conf/bitbake.conf
+++ b/meta/conf/bitbake.conf
@@ -830,7 +830,7 @@ OE_FRAGMENTS_PREFIX ?= "conf/fragments"
 OE_FRAGMENTS_METADATA_VARS ?= "BB_CONF_FRAGMENT_SUMMARY BB_CONF_FRAGMENT_DESCRIPTION"
 addfragments ${OE_FRAGMENTS_PREFIX} OE_FRAGMENTS OE_FRAGMENTS_METADATA_VARS
 
-require conf/multiconfig/${BB_CURRENT_MC}.conf
+require ${@"conf/multiconfig/${BB_CURRENT_MC}.conf" if "${BB_CURRENT_MC}" != "" else ""}
 include conf/machine/${MACHINE}.conf
 include conf/machine-sdk/${SDKMACHINE}.conf
 require conf/cve-check-map.conf