diff --git a/poky/meta/classes-recipe/kernel-fitimage.bbclass b/poky/meta/classes-recipe/kernel-fitimage.bbclass
index 7e30a5d..4b74ddc 100644
--- a/poky/meta/classes-recipe/kernel-fitimage.bbclass
+++ b/poky/meta/classes-recipe/kernel-fitimage.bbclass
@@ -421,6 +421,7 @@
 	bootscr_line=""
 	setup_line=""
 	default_line=""
+	compatible_line=""
 
 	dtb_image_sect=$(symlink_points_below $dtb_image "${EXTERNAL_KERNEL_DEVICETREE}")
 	if [ -z "$dtb_image_sect" ]; then
@@ -428,7 +429,12 @@
 	fi
 
 	dtb_path="${EXTERNAL_KERNEL_DEVICETREE}/${dtb_image_sect}"
-	compatible_line="compatible = \"$(fdtget "$dtb_path" / compatible | sed 's/ /", "/g')\";"
+	if [ -e "$dtb_path" ]; then
+		compat=$(fdtget -t s "$dtb_path" / compatible | sed 's/ /", "/g')
+		if [ -n "$compat" ]; then
+			compatible_line="compatible = \"$compat\";"
+		fi
+	fi
 
 	dtb_image=$(echo $dtb_image | tr '/' '_')
 	dtb_image_sect=$(echo "${dtb_image_sect}" | tr '/' '_')