diff --git a/eclass/dot-a.eclass b/eclass/dot-a.eclass
index 541c5b5c12698..f82e5da5be897 100644
--- a/eclass/dot-a.eclass
+++ b/eclass/dot-a.eclass
@@ -84,6 +84,8 @@ strip-lto-bytecode() {
 			# so we expect to be called on *something*, but nothing was explicitly
 			# passed. Try scanning ${ED} automatically.
 			set -- "${ED}"
+		else
+			return
 		fi
 	fi