diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py
index eab95d0336..7a19740cc8 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py
@@ -523,11 +523,25 @@ class BBCooker:
 
                 layers = (bb.data.getVar('BBLAYERS', data, True) or "").split()
 
+                data = bb.data.createCopy(data)
                 for layer in layers:
                     bb.msg.debug(2, bb.msg.domain.Parsing, "Adding layer %s" % layer)
                     bb.data.setVar('LAYERDIR', layer, data)
                     data = bb.parse.handle(os.path.join(layer, "conf", "layer.conf"), data)
 
+                    # XXX: Hack, relies on the local keys of the datasmart
+                    # instance being stored in the 'dict' attribute and makes
+                    # assumptions about how variable expansion works, but
+                    # there's no better way to force an expansion of a single
+                    # variable across the datastore today, and this at least
+                    # lets us reference LAYERDIR without having to immediately
+                    # eval all our variables that use it.
+                    for key in data.dict:
+                        if key != "_data":
+                            value = data.getVar(key, False)
+                            if "${LAYERDIR}" in value:
+                                data.setVar(key, value.replace("${LAYERDIR}", layer))
+
                 bb.data.delVar('LAYERDIR', data)
 
             if not data.getVar("BBPATH", True):