diff --git a/common/jobs/job_export_pcb_plot.h b/common/jobs/job_export_pcb_plot.h
index 2a25b641fa..81d1547f86 100644
--- a/common/jobs/job_export_pcb_plot.h
+++ b/common/jobs/job_export_pcb_plot.h
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ public:
     JOB_EXPORT_PCB_PLOT( PLOT_FORMAT aFormat, const std::string& aType, bool aOutputIsDirectory );
 
 public:
-    wxString m_argLayers;
-    wxString m_argCommonLayers;
+    std::optional<wxString> m_argLayers;
+    std::optional<wxString> m_argCommonLayers;
 
     PLOT_FORMAT m_plotFormat;
 
diff --git a/pcbnew/pcbnew_jobs_handler.cpp b/pcbnew/pcbnew_jobs_handler.cpp
index f9c05afce8..0fb7c71a10 100644
--- a/pcbnew/pcbnew_jobs_handler.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/pcbnew_jobs_handler.cpp
@@ -812,11 +812,11 @@ int PCBNEW_JOBS_HANDLER::JobExportSvg( JOB* aJob )
     brd->GetProject()->ApplyTextVars( aJob->GetVarOverrides() );
     brd->SynchronizeProperties();
 
-    if( aSvgJob->m_plotLayerSequence.empty() )
-    {
-        aSvgJob->m_plotLayerSequence = convertLayerArg( aSvgJob->m_argLayers, brd );
-        aSvgJob->m_plotOnAllLayersSequence = convertLayerArg( aSvgJob->m_argCommonLayers, brd );
-    }
+    if( aSvgJob->m_argLayers )
+        aSvgJob->m_plotLayerSequence = convertLayerArg( aSvgJob->m_argLayers.value(), brd );
+
+    if( aSvgJob->m_argCommonLayers )
+        aSvgJob->m_plotOnAllLayersSequence = convertLayerArg( aSvgJob->m_argCommonLayers.value(), brd );
 
     if( aSvgJob->m_plotLayerSequence.size() < 1 )
     {
@@ -873,11 +873,11 @@ int PCBNEW_JOBS_HANDLER::JobExportDxf( JOB* aJob )
     brd->GetProject()->ApplyTextVars( aJob->GetVarOverrides() );
     brd->SynchronizeProperties();
 
-    if( aDxfJob->m_plotLayerSequence.empty() )
-    {
-        aDxfJob->m_plotLayerSequence = convertLayerArg( aDxfJob->m_argLayers, brd );
-        aDxfJob->m_plotOnAllLayersSequence = convertLayerArg( aDxfJob->m_argCommonLayers, brd );
-    }
+    if( aDxfJob->m_argLayers )
+        aDxfJob->m_plotLayerSequence = convertLayerArg( aDxfJob->m_argLayers.value(), brd );
+
+    if( aDxfJob->m_argCommonLayers )
+        aDxfJob->m_plotOnAllLayersSequence = convertLayerArg( aDxfJob->m_argCommonLayers.value(), brd );
 
     if( aDxfJob->m_plotLayerSequence.size() < 1 )
     {
@@ -955,11 +955,11 @@ int PCBNEW_JOBS_HANDLER::JobExportPdf( JOB* aJob )
     brd->GetProject()->ApplyTextVars( pdfJob->GetVarOverrides() );
     brd->SynchronizeProperties();
 
-    if( pdfJob->m_plotLayerSequence.empty() )
-    {
-        pdfJob->m_plotLayerSequence = convertLayerArg( pdfJob->m_argLayers, brd );
-        pdfJob->m_plotOnAllLayersSequence = convertLayerArg( pdfJob->m_argCommonLayers, brd );
-    }
+    if( pdfJob->m_argLayers )
+        pdfJob->m_plotLayerSequence = convertLayerArg( pdfJob->m_argLayers.value(), brd );
+
+    if( pdfJob->m_argCommonLayers )
+        pdfJob->m_plotOnAllLayersSequence = convertLayerArg( pdfJob->m_argCommonLayers.value(), brd );
 
     if( pdfJob->m_pdfGenMode == JOB_EXPORT_PCB_PDF::GEN_MODE::ALL_LAYERS_ONE_FILE )
         plotAllLayersOneFile = true;
@@ -1052,16 +1052,17 @@ int PCBNEW_JOBS_HANDLER::JobExportGerbers( JOB* aJob )
     brd->GetProject()->ApplyTextVars( aJob->GetVarOverrides() );
     brd->SynchronizeProperties();
 
-    if( aGerberJob->m_plotLayerSequence.empty() )
+    if( aGerberJob->m_argLayers )
     {
-        if( !aGerberJob->m_argLayers.empty() )
-            aGerberJob->m_plotLayerSequence = convertLayerArg( aGerberJob->m_argLayers, nullptr );
+        if( !aGerberJob->m_argLayers.value().empty() )
+            aGerberJob->m_plotLayerSequence = convertLayerArg( aGerberJob->m_argLayers.value(), nullptr );
         else
             aGerberJob->m_plotLayerSequence = LSET::AllLayersMask().SeqStackupForPlotting();
-
-        aGerberJob->m_plotOnAllLayersSequence = convertLayerArg( aGerberJob->m_argCommonLayers, brd );
     }
 
+    if( aGerberJob->m_argCommonLayers )
+        aGerberJob->m_plotOnAllLayersSequence = convertLayerArg( aGerberJob->m_argCommonLayers.value(), brd );
+
     PCB_PLOT_PARAMS       boardPlotOptions = brd->GetPlotOptions();
     GERBER_JOBFILE_WRITER jobfile_writer( brd );
 
@@ -1280,11 +1281,11 @@ int PCBNEW_JOBS_HANDLER::JobExportGerber( JOB* aJob )
     brd->GetProject()->ApplyTextVars( aJob->GetVarOverrides() );
     brd->SynchronizeProperties();
 
-    if( aGerberJob->m_plotLayerSequence.empty() )
-    {
-        aGerberJob->m_plotLayerSequence = convertLayerArg( aGerberJob->m_argLayers, brd );
-        aGerberJob->m_plotOnAllLayersSequence = convertLayerArg( aGerberJob->m_argCommonLayers, brd );
-    }
+    if( aGerberJob->m_argLayers )
+        aGerberJob->m_plotLayerSequence = convertLayerArg( aGerberJob->m_argLayers.value(), brd );
+
+    if( aGerberJob->m_argCommonLayers )
+        aGerberJob->m_plotOnAllLayersSequence = convertLayerArg( aGerberJob->m_argCommonLayers.value(), brd );
 
     if( aGerberJob->m_plotLayerSequence.size() < 1 )
     {
@@ -1768,10 +1769,10 @@ int PCBNEW_JOBS_HANDLER::JobExportFpSvg( JOB* aJob )
     PCB_IO_KICAD_SEXPR pcb_io( CTL_FOR_LIBRARY );
     FP_CACHE   fpLib( &pcb_io, svgJob->m_libraryPath );
 
-    if( svgJob->m_plotLayerSequence.empty() )
+    if( svgJob->m_argLayers )
     {
-        if( !svgJob->m_argLayers.empty() )
-            svgJob->m_plotLayerSequence = convertLayerArg( svgJob->m_argLayers, nullptr );
+        if( !svgJob->m_argLayers.value().empty() )
+            svgJob->m_plotLayerSequence = convertLayerArg( svgJob->m_argLayers.value(), nullptr );
         else
             svgJob->m_plotLayerSequence = LSET::AllLayersMask().SeqStackupForPlotting();
     }