diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/cookerdata.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/cookerdata.py
index 44af7b2a2a..26b9b0b41b 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/cookerdata.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/cookerdata.py
@@ -348,6 +348,9 @@ class CookerDataBuilder(object):
             layers = (data.getVar('BBLAYERS') or "").split()
             broken_layers = []
 
+            if not layers:
+                bb.fatal("The bblayers.conf file doesn't contain any BBLAYERS definition")
+
             data = bb.data.createCopy(data)
             approved = bb.utils.approved_variables()