diff --git a/src/plugins/qmakeprojectmanager/qmakeprojectimporter.cpp b/src/plugins/qmakeprojectmanager/qmakeprojectimporter.cpp
index c97bab5a38c..a04657aa407 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmakeprojectmanager/qmakeprojectimporter.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/qmakeprojectmanager/qmakeprojectimporter.cpp
@@ -265,19 +265,30 @@ void QmakeProjectImporter::deleteDirectoryData(void *directoryData) const
     delete static_cast<DirectoryData *>(directoryData);
 }
 
-static ToolChain *preferredToolChain(BaseQtVersion *qtVersion, const FileName &ms,
-                                     const QMakeStepConfig::TargetArchConfig &archConfig)
+static const QList<ToolChain *> preferredToolChains(BaseQtVersion *qtVersion, const FileName &ms,
+                                                    const QMakeStepConfig::TargetArchConfig &archConfig)
 {
     const FileName spec = ms.isEmpty() ? qtVersion->mkspec() : ms;
 
     const QList<ToolChain *> toolchains = ToolChainManager::toolChains();
     QList<Abi> qtAbis = qtVersion->qtAbis();
-    return findOr(toolchains, toolchains.isEmpty() ? nullptr : toolchains.first(),
-                  [&](ToolChain *tc) {
+    const auto matcher = [&](const ToolChain *tc) {
         return qtAbis.contains(tc->targetAbi())
-                && tc->suggestedMkspecList().contains(spec)
-                && QMakeStepConfig::targetArchFor(tc->targetAbi(), qtVersion) == archConfig;
+            && tc->suggestedMkspecList().contains(spec)
+            && QMakeStepConfig::targetArchFor(tc->targetAbi(), qtVersion) == archConfig;
+    };
+    ToolChain * const cxxToolchain = findOrDefault(toolchains, [matcher](const ToolChain *tc) {
+        return tc->language() == ProjectExplorer::Constants::CXX_LANGUAGE_ID && matcher(tc);
     });
+    ToolChain * const cToolchain = findOrDefault(toolchains, [matcher](const ToolChain *tc) {
+        return tc->language() == ProjectExplorer::Constants::C_LANGUAGE_ID && matcher(tc);
+    });
+    QList<ToolChain *> chosenToolchains;
+    for (ToolChain * const tc : {cxxToolchain, cToolchain}) {
+        if (tc)
+            chosenToolchains << tc;
+    };
+    return chosenToolchains;
 }
 
 Kit *QmakeProjectImporter::createTemporaryKit(const QtProjectImporter::QtVersionData &data,
@@ -288,7 +299,8 @@ Kit *QmakeProjectImporter::createTemporaryKit(const QtProjectImporter::QtVersion
     Q_UNUSED(osType); // TODO use this to select the right toolchain?
     return QtProjectImporter::createTemporaryKit(data,
                                                  [&data, parsedSpec, archConfig](Kit *k) -> void {
-        ToolChainKitInformation::setToolChain(k, preferredToolChain(data.qt, parsedSpec, archConfig));
+        for (ToolChain * const tc : preferredToolChains(data.qt, parsedSpec, archConfig))
+            ToolChainKitInformation::setToolChain(k, tc);
         if (parsedSpec != data.qt->mkspec())
             QmakeKitInformation::setMkspec(k, parsedSpec);
     });