diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/fetch2/local.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/fetch2/local.py
index 690532d63a..7ea2f3b2e4 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/fetch2/local.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/fetch2/local.py
@@ -62,7 +62,12 @@ class Local(FetchMethod):
                 if filesdir:
                     logger.debug(2, "Searching for %s in path: %s" % (path, filesdir))
                     newpath = os.path.join(filesdir, path)
-            if not os.path.exists(newpath) and path.find("*") == -1:
+            if not newpath or not os.path.exists(newpath) and path.find("*") != -1:
+                # For expressions using '*', best we can do is take the first directory in FILESPATH that exists
+                newpath = bb.utils.which(filespath, ".")
+                logger.debug(2, "Searching for %s in path: %s" % (path, newpath))
+                return newpath
+            if not os.path.exists(newpath):
                 dldirfile = os.path.join(d.getVar("DL_DIR", True), path)
                 logger.debug(2, "Defaulting to %s for %s" % (dldirfile, path))
                 bb.utils.mkdirhier(os.path.dirname(dldirfile))