diff --git a/tools/linux_packaging/ardour.sh.in b/tools/linux_packaging/ardour.sh.in
index a6bd679b94..1a2e1206be 100644
--- a/tools/linux_packaging/ardour.sh.in
+++ b/tools/linux_packaging/ardour.sh.in
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ checkdebug "$@"
 
 # LD_LIBRARY_PATH needs to be set here so that epa can swap between the original and the bundled version
 # (the original one will be stored in PREBUNDLE_ENV)
-export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=${LD_LIBRARY_PATH:+:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH}
+export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
 export PREBUNDLE_ENV="$(env)"
 
 BIN_DIR=$(dirname $(readlink -f $0))