diff --git a/meta/lib/oe/license.py b/meta/lib/oe/license.py
index 7ab66e7..5b8d47c 100644
--- a/meta/lib/oe/license.py
+++ b/meta/lib/oe/license.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ license_pattern = re.compile('[a-zA-Z0-9.+_\-]+$')
 class LicenseVisitor(ast.NodeVisitor):
     """Syntax tree visitor which can accept OpenEmbedded license strings"""
     def visit_string(self, licensestr):
+	licensestr = re.sub(r'([|&])\1+', r'\1', licensestr)
         new_elements = []
         elements = filter(lambda x: x.strip(), license_operator.split(licensestr))
         for pos, element in enumerate(elements):