diff --git a/meta-hob/conf/layer.conf b/meta-hob/conf/layer.conf
index 5f5eb82..ff43271 100644
--- a/meta-hob/conf/layer.conf
+++ b/meta-hob/conf/layer.conf
@@ -6,4 +6,4 @@ BBFILES := "${BBFILES} ${LAYERDIR}/recipes-*/*/*.bb"
 
 BBFILE_COLLECTIONS += "hob"
 BBFILE_PATTERN_hob := "^${LAYERDIR}/"
-BBFILE_PRIORITY_hob = "1"
+BBFILE_PRIORITY_hob ?= "1"
diff --git a/meta-skeleton/conf/layer.conf b/meta-skeleton/conf/layer.conf
index edb31dd..977fb75 100644
--- a/meta-skeleton/conf/layer.conf
+++ b/meta-skeleton/conf/layer.conf
@@ -6,5 +6,5 @@ BBFILES := "${BBFILES} ${LAYERDIR}/recipes-*/*/*.bb"
 
 BBFILE_COLLECTIONS += "skeleton"
 BBFILE_PATTERN_skeleton := "^${LAYERDIR}/"
-BBFILE_PRIORITY_skeleton = "1"
+BBFILE_PRIORITY_skeleton ?= "1"
 
diff --git a/meta/conf/layer.conf b/meta/conf/layer.conf
index 78ceae9..d5b3f94 100644
--- a/meta/conf/layer.conf
+++ b/meta/conf/layer.conf
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ BBFILES += "${LAYERDIR}/recipes-*/*/*.bb"
 
 BBFILE_COLLECTIONS += "core"
 BBFILE_PATTERN_core := "^${LAYERDIR}/"
-BBFILE_PRIORITY_core = "5"
+BBFILE_PRIORITY_core ?= "5"
 
 # This should only be incremented on significant changes that will
 # cause compatibility issues with other layers