diff --git a/src/plugins/genericprojectmanager/genericmakestep.cpp b/src/plugins/genericprojectmanager/genericmakestep.cpp
index 739c8211a02..d8d22395f88 100644
--- a/src/plugins/genericprojectmanager/genericmakestep.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/genericprojectmanager/genericmakestep.cpp
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ bool GenericMakeStep::init(QList<const BuildStep *> &earlierSteps)
     Utils::Environment env = bc->environment();
     Utils::Environment::setupEnglishOutput(&env);
     pp->setEnvironment(env);
-    pp->setCommand(makeCommand(bc->environment()));
+    pp->setCommand(effectiveMakeCommand());
     pp->setArguments(allArguments());
     pp->resolveAll();
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/makestep.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/makestep.cpp
index da2c691bfe0..7c7b6457148 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/makestep.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/makestep.cpp
@@ -115,17 +115,17 @@ QString MakeStep::makeCommand() const
     return m_makeCommand;
 }
 
-QString MakeStep::makeCommand(const Utils::Environment &environment) const
+QString MakeStep::effectiveMakeCommand() const
 {
-    QString command = m_makeCommand;
-    if (command.isEmpty()) {
-        ToolChain *tc = ToolChainKitInformation::toolChain(target()->kit(), ProjectExplorer::Constants::CXX_LANGUAGE_ID);
-        if (tc)
-            command = tc->makeCommand(environment);
-        else
-            command = "make";
-    }
-    return command;
+    if (!m_makeCommand.isEmpty())
+        return m_makeCommand;
+    BuildConfiguration *bc = buildConfiguration();
+    if (!bc)
+        bc = target()->activeBuildConfiguration();
+    ToolChain *tc = ToolChainKitInformation::toolChain(target()->kit(), ProjectExplorer::Constants::CXX_LANGUAGE_ID);
+    if (bc && tc)
+        return tc->makeCommand(bc->environment());
+    return QString();
 }
 
 BuildStepConfigWidget *MakeStep::createConfigWidget()
@@ -227,8 +227,14 @@ void MakeStepConfigWidget::updateMakeOverrideLabel()
     BuildConfiguration *bc = m_makeStep->buildConfiguration();
     if (!bc)
         bc = m_makeStep->target()->activeBuildConfiguration();
-
-    m_ui->makeLabel->setText(tr("Override %1:").arg(QDir::toNativeSeparators(m_makeStep->makeCommand(bc->environment()))));
+    ToolChain *tc = ToolChainKitInformation::toolChain(m_makeStep->target()->kit(),
+                                                       ProjectExplorer::Constants::CXX_LANGUAGE_ID);
+    if (bc && tc) {
+        m_ui->makeLabel->setText(
+            tr("Override %1:").arg(QDir::toNativeSeparators(tc->makeCommand(bc->environment()))));
+    } else {
+        m_ui->makeLabel->setText(tr("Make:"));
+    }
 }
 
 void MakeStepConfigWidget::updateDetails()
@@ -241,7 +247,7 @@ void MakeStepConfigWidget::updateDetails()
     param.setMacroExpander(bc->macroExpander());
     param.setWorkingDirectory(bc->buildDirectory().toString());
     param.setEnvironment(bc->environment());
-    param.setCommand(m_makeStep->makeCommand(bc->environment()));
+    param.setCommand(m_makeStep->effectiveMakeCommand());
     param.setArguments(m_makeStep->allArguments());
     m_summaryText = param.summary(displayName());
     emit updateSummary();
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/makestep.h b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/makestep.h
index 5fe669e985a..e6a5ffc6cd3 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/makestep.h
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/makestep.h
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ public:
     void setUserArguments(const QString &args);
     QString makeCommand() const;
     void setMakeCommand(const QString &command);
-    QString makeCommand(const Utils::Environment &environment) const;
+    QString effectiveMakeCommand() const;
 
     void setClean(bool clean);
     bool isClean() const;