diff --git a/cmake/app/boilerplate.cmake b/cmake/app/boilerplate.cmake
index 04b564190bd..599f09f1533 100644
--- a/cmake/app/boilerplate.cmake
+++ b/cmake/app/boilerplate.cmake
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ foreach(root ${BOARD_ROOT})
         )
 
       # search for shield/shield.conf file
-      if(EXISTS ${shield_dir}/${s_dir}/${s}.conf)
+      if(EXISTS ${SHIELD_DIR_${s}}/${s}.conf)
         # add shield.conf to the shield config list
         list(APPEND
           shield_conf_files