diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/stage.py b/lib/spack/spack/stage.py
index 84949c2e287..01ed0ebedcd 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/stage.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/stage.py
@@ -176,13 +176,14 @@ def _resolve_paths(candidates):
 
 # Cached stage path root
 _stage_root = None
+_default_stage_config = ["$tmpdir/$user/spack-stage", "$user_cache_path/stage"]
 
 
 def get_stage_root():
     global _stage_root
 
     if _stage_root is None:
-        candidates = spack.config.get("config:build_stage")
+        candidates = spack.config.get("config:build_stage", _default_stage_config)
         if isinstance(candidates, str):
             candidates = [candidates]
 
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/test/stage.py b/lib/spack/spack/test/stage.py
index 36a9e2eef25..ad0d53b9508 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/test/stage.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/test/stage.py
@@ -754,6 +754,17 @@ def test_get_stage_root_bad_path(self, clear_stage_root):
         # Make sure the cached stage path values are unchanged.
         assert spack.stage._stage_root is None
 
+    def test_get_stage_root_empty(self, clear_stage_root):
+        # build stage set to empty by user is respected and errors
+        with spack.config.override("config:build_stage::", []):
+            with pytest.raises(spack.stage.StageError):
+                spack.stage.get_stage_root()
+
+        # No build stage set (config section set to empty) uses default
+        expected = spack.stage._resolve_paths(spack.stage._default_stage_config)[0]
+        with spack.config.override("config::", {}):
+            assert spack.stage.get_stage_root() == expected
+
     @pytest.mark.parametrize(
         "path,purged",
         [