diff --git a/importexp b/importexp
index cf2990ee052abd1cba3ebe43a45cf7f0162317cb..cc58375619b3296064d14985417bf81d28fe71fa 100755
--- a/importexp
+++ b/importexp
@@ -74,7 +74,11 @@ do
     echo "Analyzing '$RUN_SCRIPT'" >&2
 
     # Get current directory settings
-    eval $(perl -lne 'if(/^\s*((?:BUILD|MODEL)_DIR|basedir)=["'\'']?(.*?)["'\'']?\s*$/) {print "OLD_$1='\''$2'\''"}' $RUN_SCRIPT)
+    eval $(perl -lne '
+        if(m{^\s*(?:export\s+)?((?:BUILD|MODEL)_DIR|basedir)=["'\'']?(.*?)["'\'']?\s*$}) {
+            print "OLD_$1='\''$2'\''"
+        }
+    ' $RUN_SCRIPT)
 
     # New style scripts will make sure that helper scripts are found.
     # So no need to hack the . ./* calls (see 4. below)