diff --git a/meta/classes-recipe/python3targetconfig.bbclass b/meta/classes-recipe/python3targetconfig.bbclass
index 3b9333a4be..08be22ae65 100644
--- a/meta/classes-recipe/python3targetconfig.bbclass
+++ b/meta/classes-recipe/python3targetconfig.bbclass
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ DEPENDS:append = " ${EXTRA_PYTHON_DEPENDS}"
 setup_target_config() {
         export _PYTHON_SYSCONFIGDATA_NAME="_sysconfigdata"
         export _PYTHON_PROJECT_BASE="${B}"
-        export PYTHONPATH=${STAGING_LIBDIR}/python-sysconfigdata:$PYTHONPATH
+        export PYTHONPATH=${STAGING_LIBDIR}/python-sysconfigdata${PYTHONPATH:+:$PYTHONPATH}
         export PATH=${STAGING_EXECPREFIXDIR}/python-target-config/:$PATH
 }