--- python.eclass
+++ python.eclass
@@ -2223,7 +2223,7 @@
 
 	if ! has "${EAPI:-0}" 0 1 2 || _python_package_supporting_installation_for_multiple_python_abis; then
 		# PYTHON_ABI variable cannot be local in packages not supporting installation for multiple Python ABIs.
-		local dir file iterated_PYTHON_ABIS options=() other_dirs=() other_files=() previous_PYTHON_ABI="${PYTHON_ABI}" return_code root site_packages_absolute_dirs=() site_packages_dirs=() site_packages_absolute_files=() site_packages_files=()
+		local dir dirs=() file files=() iterated_PYTHON_ABIS options=() other_dirs=() other_files=() previous_PYTHON_ABI="${PYTHON_ABI}" return_code root site_packages_dirs=() site_packages_files=()
 
 		if _python_package_supporting_installation_for_multiple_python_abis; then
 			if has "${EAPI:-0}" 0 1 2 3 && [[ -z "${PYTHON_ABIS}" ]]; then
@@ -2317,27 +2317,27 @@
 				ebegin "Compilation and optimization of Python modules for $(python_get_implementation) $(python_get_version)"
 				if ((${#site_packages_dirs[@]})); then
 					for dir in "${site_packages_dirs[@]}"; do
-						site_packages_absolute_dirs+=("${root}$(python_get_sitedir)/${dir}")
+						dirs+=("${root}$(python_get_sitedir)/${dir}")
 					done
-					"$(PYTHON)" "${root}$(python_get_libdir)/compileall.py" "${options[@]}" "${site_packages_absolute_dirs[@]}" || return_code="1"
+					"$(PYTHON)" "${root}$(python_get_libdir)/compileall.py" "${options[@]}" "${dirs[@]}" || return_code="1"
 					if [[ "$(_python_get_implementation "${PYTHON_ABI}")" != "Jython" ]]; then
-						"$(PYTHON)" -O "${root}$(python_get_libdir)/compileall.py" "${options[@]}" "${site_packages_absolute_dirs[@]}" &> /dev/null || return_code="1"
+						"$(PYTHON)" -O "${root}$(python_get_libdir)/compileall.py" "${options[@]}" "${dirs[@]}" &> /dev/null || return_code="1"
 					fi
-					_python_clean_compiled_modules "${site_packages_absolute_dirs[@]}"
+					_python_clean_compiled_modules "${dirs[@]}"
 				fi
 				if ((${#site_packages_files[@]})); then
 					for file in "${site_packages_files[@]}"; do
-						site_packages_absolute_files+=("${root}$(python_get_sitedir)/${file}")
+						files+=("${root}$(python_get_sitedir)/${file}")
 					done
-					"$(PYTHON)" "${root}$(python_get_libdir)/py_compile.py" "${site_packages_absolute_files[@]}" || return_code="1"
+					"$(PYTHON)" "${root}$(python_get_libdir)/py_compile.py" "${files[@]}" || return_code="1"
 					if [[ "$(_python_get_implementation "${PYTHON_ABI}")" != "Jython" ]]; then
-						"$(PYTHON)" -O "${root}$(python_get_libdir)/py_compile.py" "${site_packages_absolute_files[@]}" &> /dev/null || return_code="1"
+						"$(PYTHON)" -O "${root}$(python_get_libdir)/py_compile.py" "${files[@]}" &> /dev/null || return_code="1"
 					fi
-					_python_clean_compiled_modules "${site_packages_absolute_files[@]}"
+					_python_clean_compiled_modules "${files[@]}"
 				fi
 				eend "${return_code}"
 			fi
-			unset site_packages_absolute_dirs site_packages_absolute_files
+			unset dirs files
 		done
 
 		if _python_package_supporting_installation_for_multiple_python_abis; then