diff --git a/src/plugins/docker/dockerdevice.cpp b/src/plugins/docker/dockerdevice.cpp
index 1f6744d3894..9fe4ac081b8 100644
--- a/src/plugins/docker/dockerdevice.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/docker/dockerdevice.cpp
@@ -709,20 +709,26 @@ QtVersions KitDetectorPrivate::autoDetectQtVersions() const
     QtVersions qtVersions;
 
     QString error;
+
+    const auto handleQmake = [this, &qtVersions, &error](const FilePath &qmake) {
+        if (QtVersion *qtVersion = QtVersionFactory::createQtVersionFromQMakePath(qmake, false, m_sharedId, &error)) {
+            qtVersions.append(qtVersion);
+            QtVersionManager::addVersion(qtVersion);
+            emit q->logOutput(tr("Found \"%1\"").arg(qtVersion->qmakeFilePath().toUserOutput()));
+        }
+        return true;
+    };
+
+    emit q->logOutput(tr("Searching for qmake executables..."));
+
     const QStringList candidates = {"qmake-qt6", "qmake-qt5", "qmake"};
-    emit q->logOutput('\n' + tr("Searching Qt installations..."));
-    for (const QString &candidate : candidates) {
-        emit q->logOutput(tr("Searching for %1 executable...").arg(candidate));
-        const FilePath qmake = m_device->searchExecutable(candidate, m_searchPaths);
-        if (qmake.isEmpty())
-            continue;
-        QtVersion *qtVersion = QtVersionFactory::createQtVersionFromQMakePath(qmake, false, m_sharedId, &error);
-        if (!qtVersion)
-            continue;
-        qtVersions.append(qtVersion);
-        QtVersionManager::addVersion(qtVersion);
-        emit q->logOutput(tr("Found \"%1\"").arg(qtVersion->qmakeFilePath().toUserOutput()));
+    for (const FilePath &searchPath : m_searchPaths) {
+        searchPath.iterateDirectory(handleQmake, {candidates, QDir::Files | QDir::Executable,
+                                                  QDirIterator::Subdirectories});
     }
+
+    if (!error.isEmpty())
+        emit q->logOutput(tr("Error: %1.").arg(error));
     if (qtVersions.isEmpty())
         emit q->logOutput(tr("No Qt installation found."));
     return qtVersions;
@@ -793,19 +799,20 @@ void KitDetectorPrivate::autoDetect()
 
     emit q->logOutput(tr("Starting auto-detection. This will take a while..."));
 
-    QList<ToolChain *> toolChains = autoDetectToolChains();
-    QtVersions qtVersions = autoDetectQtVersions();
+    const Toolchains toolchains = autoDetectToolChains();
+    const QtVersions qtVersions = autoDetectQtVersions();
 
     autoDetectCMake();
     autoDetectDebugger();
 
-    const auto initializeKit = [this, toolChains, qtVersions](Kit *k) {
+    const auto initializeKit = [this, toolchains, qtVersions](Kit *k) {
         k->setAutoDetected(false);
         k->setAutoDetectionSource(m_sharedId);
         k->setUnexpandedDisplayName("%{Device:Name}");
 
         DeviceTypeKitAspect::setDeviceTypeId(k, Constants::DOCKER_DEVICE_TYPE);
         DeviceKitAspect::setDevice(k, m_device);
+
         QtVersion *qt = nullptr;
         if (!qtVersions.isEmpty()) {
             qt = qtVersions.at(0);