diff --git a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.python/py-startup-opt.exp b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.python/py-startup-opt.exp
index cf2a2cf6768..014aff5725a 100644
--- a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.python/py-startup-opt.exp
+++ b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.python/py-startup-opt.exp
@@ -78,8 +78,9 @@ proc test_python_settings { exp_state } {
 	# all GDB developers some will test GDB with this environment
 	# variable unset.
 	if { $attr == "dont_write_bytecode" \
-		 && $exp_state == "off"
-		 && [info exists ::env(PYTHONDONTWRITEBYTECODE)] } {
+		 && $exp_state == "off" \
+		 && [info exists ::env(PYTHONDONTWRITEBYTECODE)] \
+		 && $::env(PYTHONDONTWRITEBYTECODE) != "" } {
 	    set answer "on"
 	} else {
 	    set answer $exp_state