diff --git a/meta/lib/oeqa/core/utils/concurrencytest.py b/meta/lib/oeqa/core/utils/concurrencytest.py
index 4f77589b00..5e20b0e126 100644
--- a/meta/lib/oeqa/core/utils/concurrencytest.py
+++ b/meta/lib/oeqa/core/utils/concurrencytest.py
@@ -193,11 +193,12 @@ class dummybuf(object):
 #
 class ConcurrentTestSuite(unittest.TestSuite):
 
-    def __init__(self, suite, processes, setupfunc, removefunc):
+    def __init__(self, suite, processes, setupfunc, removefunc, bb_vars):
         super(ConcurrentTestSuite, self).__init__([suite])
         self.processes = processes
         self.setupfunc = setupfunc
         self.removefunc = removefunc
+        self.bb_vars = bb_vars
 
     def run(self, result):
         testservers, totaltests = fork_for_tests(self.processes, self)
@@ -243,7 +244,7 @@ class ConcurrentTestSuite(unittest.TestSuite):
 def fork_for_tests(concurrency_num, suite):
     testservers = []
     if 'BUILDDIR' in os.environ:
-        selftestdir = get_test_layer()
+        selftestdir = get_test_layer(suite.bb_vars['BBLAYERS'])
 
     test_blocks = partition_tests(suite, concurrency_num)
     # Clear the tests from the original suite so it doesn't keep them alive
diff --git a/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/context.py b/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/context.py
index 16486e7eb9..5a09aeedff 100644
--- a/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/context.py
+++ b/meta/lib/oeqa/selftest/context.py
@@ -35,12 +35,13 @@ def get_oeselftest_metadata(args):
     return result
 
 class NonConcurrentTestSuite(unittest.TestSuite):
-    def __init__(self, suite, processes, setupfunc, removefunc):
+    def __init__(self, suite, processes, setupfunc, removefunc, bb_vars):
         super().__init__([suite])
         self.processes = processes
         self.suite = suite
         self.setupfunc = setupfunc
         self.removefunc = removefunc
+        self.bb_vars = bb_vars
 
     def run(self, result):
         (builddir, newbuilddir) = self.setupfunc("-st", None, self.suite)
@@ -79,16 +80,15 @@ class OESelftestTestContext(OETestContext):
         else:
             self.removebuilddir = removebuilddir
 
+    def set_variables(self, vars):
+        self.bb_vars = vars
+
     def setup_builddir(self, suffix, selftestdir, suite):
-        # Get SSTATE_DIR from the parent build dir
-        with bb.tinfoil.Tinfoil(tracking=True) as tinfoil:
-            tinfoil.prepare(quiet=2, config_only=True)
-            d = tinfoil.config_data
-            sstatedir = str(d.getVar('SSTATE_DIR'))
+        sstatedir = self.bb_vars['SSTATE_DIR']
 
         builddir = os.environ['BUILDDIR']
         if not selftestdir:
-            selftestdir = get_test_layer()
+            selftestdir = get_test_layer(self.bb_vars['BBLAYERS'])
         if self.newbuilddir:
             newbuilddir = os.path.join(self.newbuilddir, 'build' + suffix)
         else:
@@ -155,9 +155,9 @@ class OESelftestTestContext(OETestContext):
         if processes:
             from oeqa.core.utils.concurrencytest import ConcurrentTestSuite
 
-            return ConcurrentTestSuite(suites, processes, self.setup_builddir, self.removebuilddir)
+            return ConcurrentTestSuite(suites, processes, self.setup_builddir, self.removebuilddir, self.bb_vars)
         else:
-            return NonConcurrentTestSuite(suites, processes, self.setup_builddir, self.removebuilddir)
+            return NonConcurrentTestSuite(suites, processes, self.setup_builddir, self.removebuilddir, self.bb_vars)
 
     def runTests(self, processes=None, machine=None, skips=[]):
         if machine:
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ class OESelftestTestContextExecutor(OETestContextExecutor):
 
         builddir = os.environ.get("BUILDDIR")
         self.tc_kwargs['init']['config_paths'] = {}
-        self.tc_kwargs['init']['config_paths']['testlayer_path'] = get_test_layer()
+        self.tc_kwargs['init']['config_paths']['testlayer_path'] = get_test_layer(bbvars["BBLAYERS"])
         self.tc_kwargs['init']['config_paths']['builddir'] = builddir
         self.tc_kwargs['init']['config_paths']['localconf'] = os.path.join(builddir, "conf/local.conf")
         self.tc_kwargs['init']['config_paths']['bblayers'] = os.path.join(builddir, "conf/bblayers.conf")
@@ -310,10 +310,10 @@ class OESelftestTestContextExecutor(OETestContextExecutor):
                 meta_selftestdir = os.path.join(
                     self.tc.td["BBLAYERS_FETCH_DIR"], 'meta-selftest')
                 if os.path.isdir(meta_selftestdir):
-                    runCmd("bitbake-layers add-layer %s" %meta_selftestdir)
+                    runCmd("bitbake-layers add-layer %s" % meta_selftestdir)
                     # reload data is needed because a meta-selftest layer was add
                     self.tc.td = get_bb_vars()
-                    self.tc.config_paths['testlayer_path'] = get_test_layer()
+                    self.tc.config_paths['testlayer_path'] = get_test_layer(self.tc.td["BBLAYERS"])
                 else:
                     self.tc.logger.error("could not locate meta-selftest in:\n%s" % meta_selftestdir)
                     raise OEQAPreRun
@@ -351,8 +351,15 @@ class OESelftestTestContextExecutor(OETestContextExecutor):
 
         _add_layer_libs()
 
-        self.tc.logger.info("Running bitbake -e to test the configuration is valid/parsable")
-        runCmd("bitbake -e")
+        self.tc.logger.info("Checking base configuration is valid/parsable")
+
+        with bb.tinfoil.Tinfoil(tracking=True) as tinfoil:
+            tinfoil.prepare(quiet=2, config_only=True)
+            d = tinfoil.config_data
+            vars = {}
+            vars['SSTATE_DIR'] = str(d.getVar('SSTATE_DIR'))
+            vars['BBLAYERS'] = str(d.getVar('BBLAYERS'))
+        self.tc.set_variables(vars)
 
     def get_json_result_dir(self, args):
         json_result_dir = os.path.join(self.tc.td["LOG_DIR"], 'oeqa')
diff --git a/meta/lib/oeqa/utils/commands.py b/meta/lib/oeqa/utils/commands.py
index c1f533802e..575e380017 100644
--- a/meta/lib/oeqa/utils/commands.py
+++ b/meta/lib/oeqa/utils/commands.py
@@ -285,8 +285,10 @@ def get_bb_vars(variables=None, target=None, postconfig=None):
 def get_bb_var(var, target=None, postconfig=None):
     return get_bb_vars([var], target, postconfig)[var]
 
-def get_test_layer():
-    layers = get_bb_var("BBLAYERS").split()
+def get_test_layer(bblayers=None):
+    if bblayers is None:
+        bblayers = get_bb_var("BBLAYERS")
+    layers = bblayers.split()
     testlayer = None
     for l in layers:
         if '~' in l: