diff --git a/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/bblock.py b/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/bblock.py
index 2b62d2a0aa2..cb99d32bb5d 100644
--- a/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/bblock.py
+++ b/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/cases/bblock.py
@@ -122,11 +122,11 @@ class BBLock(OESelftestTestCase):
         else:
             machine = "qemux86-64"
 
-        self.write_config('MACHINE = "%s"\n' % machine)
+        self.write_config('MACHINE:forcevariable = "%s"\n' % machine)
 
         self.lock_recipes(recipes, tasks)
 
-        self.write_config('MACHINE = "%s"\n' % self.td["MACHINE"])
+        self.write_config('MACHINE:forcevariable = "%s"\n' % self.td["MACHINE"])
         # modify quilt's do_compile task
         self.modify_tasks(recipes, tasks)