diff --git a/meta/classes/base.bbclass b/meta/classes/base.bbclass
index a26ac94..b39bb0b 100644
--- a/meta/classes/base.bbclass
+++ b/meta/classes/base.bbclass
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 BB_DEFAULT_TASK ?= "build"
+RECIPECLASSOVERRIDE ?= ":class-target"
 
 inherit patch
 inherit staging
diff --git a/meta/classes/cross-canadian.bbclass b/meta/classes/cross-canadian.bbclass
index 499a1fb..439404e 100644
--- a/meta/classes/cross-canadian.bbclass
+++ b/meta/classes/cross-canadian.bbclass
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 # SDK packages are built either explicitly by the user,
 # or indirectly via dependency.  No need to be in 'world'.
 EXCLUDE_FROM_WORLD = "1"
-
+RECIPECLASSOVERRIDE = ":virtclass-cross-canadian"
 STAGING_BINDIR_TOOLCHAIN = "${STAGING_DIR_NATIVE}${bindir_native}/${SDK_ARCH}${SDK_VENDOR}-${SDK_OS}:${STAGING_DIR_NATIVE}${bindir_native}/${TUNE_PKGARCH}${TARGET_VENDOR}-${TARGET_OS}"
 
 #
diff --git a/meta/classes/cross.bbclass b/meta/classes/cross.bbclass
index 8da3048..421ede6 100644
--- a/meta/classes/cross.bbclass
+++ b/meta/classes/cross.bbclass
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ inherit relocatable
 # no need for them to be a direct target of 'world'
 EXCLUDE_FROM_WORLD = "1"
 
+RECIPECLASSOVERRIDE = ":virtclass-cross"
 PACKAGES = ""
 PACKAGES_DYNAMIC = ""
 PACKAGES_DYNAMIC_virtclass-native = ""
diff --git a/meta/classes/crosssdk.bbclass b/meta/classes/crosssdk.bbclass
index 83753b4..89eaadd 100644
--- a/meta/classes/crosssdk.bbclass
+++ b/meta/classes/crosssdk.bbclass
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 inherit cross
 
+RECIPECLASSOVERRIDE = ":virtclass-crosssdk"
 PACKAGE_ARCH = "${SDK_ARCH}"
 STAGING_DIR_TARGET = "${STAGING_DIR}/${SDK_ARCH}-nativesdk${SDK_VENDOR}-${SDK_OS}"
 STAGING_BINDIR_TOOLCHAIN = "${STAGING_DIR_NATIVE}${bindir_native}/${TARGET_ARCH}${TARGET_VENDOR}-${TARGET_OS}"
diff --git a/meta/classes/native.bbclass b/meta/classes/native.bbclass
index 00196ba..dbdb406 100644
--- a/meta/classes/native.bbclass
+++ b/meta/classes/native.bbclass
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ PKG_CONFIG_SYSROOT_DIR = ""
 
 # we dont want libc-uclibc or libc-glibc to kick in for native recipes
 LIBCOVERRIDE = ""
+RECIPECLASSOVERRIDE = ":virtclass-native"
 
 PATH =. "${COREBASE}/scripts/native-intercept:"
 
@@ -141,8 +142,6 @@ python native_virtclass_handler () {
         if not prov.endswith("-native"):
             provides = provides.replace(prov, prov + "-native")
     e.data.setVar("PROVIDES", provides)
-
-    e.data.setVar("OVERRIDES", e.data.getVar("OVERRIDES", False) + ":virtclass-native")
 }
 
 addhandler native_virtclass_handler
diff --git a/meta/classes/nativesdk.bbclass b/meta/classes/nativesdk.bbclass
index ceec53e..6858604 100644
--- a/meta/classes/nativesdk.bbclass
+++ b/meta/classes/nativesdk.bbclass
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ STAGING_BINDIR_TOOLCHAIN = "${STAGING_DIR_NATIVE}${bindir_native}/${SDK_ARCH}${S
 
 # we dont want libc-uclibc or libc-glibc to kick in for nativesdk recipes
 LIBCOVERRIDE = ""
+RECIPECLASSOVERRIDE = ":virtclass-nativesdk"
 
 #
 # Update PACKAGE_ARCH and PACKAGE_ARCHS
@@ -63,8 +64,6 @@ python nativesdk_virtclass_handler () {
     pn = e.data.getVar("PN", True)
     if not pn.endswith("-nativesdk"):
         return
-
-    e.data.setVar("OVERRIDES", e.data.getVar("OVERRIDES", False) + ":virtclass-nativesdk")
 }
 
 python () {
diff --git a/meta/conf/distro/include/default-distrovars.inc b/meta/conf/distro/include/default-distrovars.inc
index 16b3108..ca7c750 100644
--- a/meta/conf/distro/include/default-distrovars.inc
+++ b/meta/conf/distro/include/default-distrovars.inc
@@ -41,8 +41,16 @@ NO32LIBS ??= "1"
 
 # Default to emitting logfiles if a build fails.
 BBINCLUDELOGS ??= "yes"
+
+# dummy distro related variables
+# they should be overridden by real distros
+# these fallbacks only serve the purpose of
+# oe-core standalone testability
+
+DISTRO ??= ""
 SDK_VERSION ??= "oe-core.0"
 DISTRO_VERSION ??= "oe-core.0"
 
 # Missing checksums should raise an error
 BB_STRICT_CHECKSUM = "1"
+OVERRIDES .= "${RECIPECLASSOVERRIDE}"