diff --git a/eclass/python-any-r1.eclass b/eclass/python-any-r1.eclass
index 846c0da95898e..82ead76edf184 100644
--- a/eclass/python-any-r1.eclass
+++ b/eclass/python-any-r1.eclass
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ _python_any_set_globals() {
 
 		PYTHON_DEPS="${PYTHON_PKG_DEP} ${PYTHON_DEPS}"
 	done
-	readonly PYTHON_DEPS="|| ( ${PYTHON_DEPS})"
+	declare -g -r PYTHON_DEPS="|| ( ${PYTHON_DEPS})"
 }
 _python_any_set_globals
 unset -f _python_any_set_globals
diff --git a/eclass/python-r1.eclass b/eclass/python-r1.eclass
index 5c1f1b3694e0b..4b9c6f36e55db 100644
--- a/eclass/python-r1.eclass
+++ b/eclass/python-r1.eclass
@@ -216,8 +216,8 @@ _python_set_globals() {
 	optflags+=,${flags_st[@]/%/(-)}
 
 	IUSE=${flags[*]}
-	readonly PYTHON_REQUIRED_USE="|| ( ${flags[*]} )"
-	readonly PYTHON_USEDEP=${optflags// /,}
+	declare -g -r PYTHON_REQUIRED_USE="|| ( ${flags[*]} )"
+	declare -g -r PYTHON_USEDEP=${optflags// /,}
 
 	# 1) well, python-exec would suffice as an RDEP
 	# but no point in making this overcomplex, BDEP doesn't hurt anyone
diff --git a/eclass/python-single-r1.eclass b/eclass/python-single-r1.eclass
index 3c33f3731d531..158229503f99f 100644
--- a/eclass/python-single-r1.eclass
+++ b/eclass/python-single-r1.eclass
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ _python_single_set_globals() {
 			PYTHON_DEPS+="python_single_target_${i}? ( ${PYTHON_PKG_DEP} ) "
 		done
 	fi
-	readonly PYTHON_USEDEP=${optflags// /,}
+	declare -g -r PYTHON_USEDEP=${optflags// /,}
 
 	# 1) well, python-exec would suffice as an RDEP
 	# but no point in making this overcomplex, BDEP doesn't hurt anyone
diff --git a/eclass/python-utils-r1.eclass b/eclass/python-utils-r1.eclass
index 42c33eb985d57..cf0e13496245b 100644
--- a/eclass/python-utils-r1.eclass
+++ b/eclass/python-utils-r1.eclass
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ inherit toolchain-funcs
 # @INTERNAL
 # @DESCRIPTION:
 # All supported Python implementations, most preferred last.
-readonly _PYTHON_ALL_IMPLS=(
+declare -g -r _PYTHON_ALL_IMPLS=(
 	python2_7
 	python3_3 python3_4 python3_5
 	pypy pypy3