diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/cookerdata.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/cookerdata.py
index 1c1e008c6b..24002b879f 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/cookerdata.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/cookerdata.py
@@ -342,6 +342,9 @@ 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()