diff --git a/meta/conf/bitbake.conf b/meta/conf/bitbake.conf
index 6675bffe57..ad1225b3c8 100644
--- a/meta/conf/bitbake.conf
+++ b/meta/conf/bitbake.conf
@@ -707,6 +707,7 @@ OES_BITBAKE_CONF = "1"
 # Machine properties and packagegroup-base stuff
 ##################################################################
 
+MACHINE_FEATURES ?= ""
 DISTRO_FEATURES ?= ""
 
 DISTRO_EXTRA_RDEPENDS ?= ""