diff --git a/startkde/startplasma.cpp b/startkde/startplasma.cpp
index 22491952a..dad8d96ee 100644
--- a/startkde/startplasma.cpp
+++ b/startkde/startplasma.cpp
@@ -330,9 +330,12 @@ void setupPlasmaEnvironment()
     qputenv("KDE_APPLICATIONS_AS_SCOPE", "1");
 
     // Add kdedefaults dir to allow config defaults overriding from a writable location
-    const auto current_xdg_config_dirs = qgetenv("XDG_CONFIG_DIRS");
-    const auto new_xdg_dir = QStandardPaths::writableLocation(QStandardPaths::GenericConfigLocation).toUtf8() + "/kdedefaults";
-    qputenv("XDG_CONFIG_DIRS", new_xdg_dir + ":" + current_xdg_config_dirs);
+    QByteArray currentConfigDirs = qgetenv("XDG_CONFIG_DIRS");
+    if (currentConfigDirs.isEmpty()) {
+        currentConfigDirs = "/etc/xdg";
+    }
+    const auto extraConfigDir = QStandardPaths::writableLocation(QStandardPaths::GenericConfigLocation).toUtf8() + "/kdedefaults";
+    qputenv("XDG_CONFIG_DIRS", extraConfigDir + ":" + currentConfigDirs);
 }
 
 void setupX11()