--- gquilt-0.22.orig/gquilt.sh
+++ gquilt-0.22/gquilt.sh
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 GQUILT_ICON=$PREFIX/share/pixmaps/gquilt.xpm
 export GQUILT_ICON
 
-PYTHONPATH=$PYTHONPATH:$GQUILT_LIB_DIR
+PYTHONPATH=${PYTHONPATH:+$PYTHONPATH:}$GQUILT_LIB_DIR
 export PYTHONPATH
 
 exec python $GQUILT_LIB_DIR/gquilt.py