diff --git a/tools/projmgr/src/ProjMgrWorker.cpp b/tools/projmgr/src/ProjMgrWorker.cpp
index 0bd1746dc..256f2adba 100644
--- a/tools/projmgr/src/ProjMgrWorker.cpp
+++ b/tools/projmgr/src/ProjMgrWorker.cpp
@@ -3900,7 +3900,9 @@ bool ProjMgrWorker::CheckBoardDeviceInLayer(const ContextItem& context, const Cl
     DeviceItem forDevice, device;
     GetDeviceItem(clayer.forDevice, forDevice);
     GetDeviceItem(context.device, device);
-    if ((!forDevice.name.empty() && (forDevice.name != device.name)) ||
+    // Skip comparing the layer's 'for-device' name when the context has no device name
+    // (e.g. during layer discovery when only the board is specified)
+    if ((!forDevice.name.empty() && !device.name.empty() && (forDevice.name != device.name)) ||
         (!forDevice.vendor.empty() && !device.vendor.empty() && (forDevice.vendor != device.vendor)) ||
         (!forDevice.pname.empty()  && !device.pname.empty()  && (forDevice.pname != device.pname))) {
       return false;
diff --git a/tools/projmgr/test/src/ProjMgrWorkerUnitTests.cpp b/tools/projmgr/test/src/ProjMgrWorkerUnitTests.cpp
index d3a15e2c4..8dae828aa 100644
--- a/tools/projmgr/test/src/ProjMgrWorkerUnitTests.cpp
+++ b/tools/projmgr/test/src/ProjMgrWorkerUnitTests.cpp
@@ -1786,7 +1786,7 @@ TEST_F(ProjMgrWorkerUnitTests, CheckBoardDeviceInLayer) {
   {"DeviceVendor::DeviceName:ProcessorName", "OtherVendor::DeviceName:ProcessorName" , false},
   {"DeviceVendor::DeviceName:ProcessorName", "DeviceVendor::OtherName:ProcessorName" , false},
   {"DeviceVendor::DeviceName:ProcessorName", "DeviceVendor::DeviceName:OtherName"    , false},
-  {""                                      ,               "DeviceName"              , false},
+  {""                                      ,               "DeviceName"              ,  true},
   {"DeviceVendor::DeviceName:ProcessorName", "DeviceVendor::DeviceName:ProcessorName",  true},
   {"DeviceVendor::DeviceName:ProcessorName", "DeviceVendor::DeviceName"              ,  true},
   {"DeviceVendor::DeviceName:ProcessorName",               "DeviceName"              ,  true},