diff --git a/orchestra/model/configuration.py b/orchestra/model/configuration.py
index 5675893f0b223a47383187b01e000a9836057e16..036c6882523abd4f246c3d90ec1235aa3eb6cb7e 100644
--- a/orchestra/model/configuration.py
+++ b/orchestra/model/configuration.py
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ class Configuration:
         env["SOURCES_DIR"] = self.sources_dir
         env["BUILDS_DIR"] = self.builds_dir
         env["TMP_ROOTS"] = self.tmproot
+        env["RPATH_PLACEHOLDER"] = "////////////////////////////////////////////////$ORCHESTRA_ROOT"
 
         # TODO: the order of the variables stays the same even if the
         #  user overrides an environment variable from the config.