diff --git a/easybuild/tools/toolchain/utilities.py b/easybuild/tools/toolchain/utilities.py
index 0dceb36b5a..ce4314b4db 100644
--- a/easybuild/tools/toolchain/utilities.py
+++ b/easybuild/tools/toolchain/utilities.py
@@ -36,13 +36,15 @@
 * Kenneth Hoste (Ghent University)
 """
 import copy
+import os
 import re
 import sys
 
 import easybuild.tools.toolchain
 from easybuild.base import fancylogger
 from easybuild.tools.build_log import EasyBuildError
-from easybuild.tools.toolchain.toolchain import Toolchain
+from easybuild.tools.environment import setvar
+from easybuild.tools.toolchain.toolchain import Toolchain, RPATH_WRAPPERS_SUBDIR
 from easybuild.tools.utilities import get_subclasses, import_available_modules, nub
 
 
@@ -157,6 +159,11 @@ def export_rpath_wrappers(targetdir, toolchain_name, toolchain_version, rpath_fi
                           rpath_include_dirs=None):
     tc = get_toolchain({'name': toolchain_name, 'version': toolchain_version}, {})
 
+    # Temporarily filter any existing RPATH wrappers from the PATH
+    orig_paths = os.getenv('PATH')
+    filtered_paths = [path for path in orig_paths.split(':') if RPATH_WRAPPERS_SUBDIR not in path]
+    setvar('PATH', ':'.join(filtered_paths))
+
     tc.prepare_rpath_wrappers(
         rpath_filter_dirs=rpath_filter_dirs,
         rpath_include_dirs=rpath_include_dirs,
@@ -165,3 +172,6 @@ def export_rpath_wrappers(targetdir, toolchain_name, toolchain_version, rpath_fi
         disable_wrapper_log=True,
         )
     _log.debug("Installed RPATH wrappers in command specific subdirectories of %s" % (str(targetdir)))
+
+    # Restore the PATH
+    setvar('PATH', orig_paths)
diff --git a/test/framework/toolchain.py b/test/framework/toolchain.py
index 18c5b6882d..8c34bf39e3 100644
--- a/test/framework/toolchain.py
+++ b/test/framework/toolchain.py
@@ -2939,6 +2939,9 @@ def test_export_rpath(self):
         # enable --rpath for a toolchain so we test against it
         init_config(build_options={'rpath': True, 'silent': True})
         tc = self.get_toolchain('gompi', version='2018a')
+        tc.set_options({'rpath': True})
+        # allow the underlying toolchain to be in a prepared state (which may include rpath wrapping)
+        tc.prepare()
 
         # export the wrappers to a target location
         target_wrapper_dir = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'target')