diff --git a/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmakebuildsystem.cpp b/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmakebuildsystem.cpp
index e42732c4b51..6988cdb8825 100644
--- a/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmakebuildsystem.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmakebuildsystem.cpp
@@ -527,11 +527,9 @@ void CMakeBuildSystem::clearCMakeCache()
 }
 
 std::unique_ptr<CMakeProjectNode> CMakeBuildSystem::generateProjectTree(
-    const TreeScanner::Result &allFiles, bool includeHeaderNodes)
+    const TreeScanner::Result &allFiles, bool failedToParse)
 {
-    QString errorMessage;
-    auto root = m_reader.generateProjectTree(allFiles, errorMessage, includeHeaderNodes);
-    checkAndReportError(errorMessage);
+    auto root = m_reader.generateProjectTree(allFiles, failedToParse);
     return root;
 }
 
@@ -604,7 +602,7 @@ void CMakeBuildSystem::updateProjectData()
 
     Project *p = project();
     {
-        auto newRoot = generateProjectTree(m_allFiles, true);
+        auto newRoot = generateProjectTree(m_allFiles, false);
         if (newRoot) {
             setRootProjectNode(std::move(newRoot));
 
@@ -703,7 +701,7 @@ void CMakeBuildSystem::updateFallbackProjectData()
 
     QTC_ASSERT(m_treeScanner.isFinished() && !m_reader.isParsing(), return );
 
-    auto newRoot = generateProjectTree(m_allFiles, false);
+    auto newRoot = generateProjectTree(m_allFiles, true);
     setRootProjectNode(std::move(newRoot));
 
     qCDebug(cmakeBuildSystemLog) << "All fallback CMake project data up to date.";
diff --git a/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmakebuildsystem.h b/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmakebuildsystem.h
index 95d31367d81..c722ee172f0 100644
--- a/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmakebuildsystem.h
+++ b/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmakebuildsystem.h
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ private:
     void combineScanAndParse();
 
     std::unique_ptr<CMakeProjectNode> generateProjectTree(
-        const ProjectExplorer::TreeScanner::Result &allFiles, bool includeHeadersNode);
+        const ProjectExplorer::TreeScanner::Result &allFiles, bool failedToParse);
     void checkAndReportError(QString &errorMessage);
 
     void updateCMakeConfiguration(QString &errorMessage);
diff --git a/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/fileapireader.cpp b/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/fileapireader.cpp
index 09aa375bd24..b7da82f568a 100644
--- a/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/fileapireader.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/fileapireader.cpp
@@ -217,16 +217,13 @@ bool FileApiReader::usesAllCapsTargets() const
 }
 
 std::unique_ptr<CMakeProjectNode> FileApiReader::generateProjectTree(
-    const ProjectExplorer::TreeScanner::Result &allFiles,
-    QString &errorMessage,
-    bool includeHeaderNodes)
+    const ProjectExplorer::TreeScanner::Result &allFiles, bool failedToParse)
 {
-    Q_UNUSED(errorMessage)
-
-    if (includeHeaderNodes) {
+    if (failedToParse)
+        addFileSystemNodes(m_rootProjectNode.get(), allFiles.folderNode);
+    else
         addHeaderNodes(m_rootProjectNode.get(), m_knownHeaders, allFiles.allFiles);
-    }
-    addFileSystemNodes(m_rootProjectNode.get(), allFiles.folderNode);
+
     return std::exchange(m_rootProjectNode, {});
 }
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/fileapireader.h b/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/fileapireader.h
index 4e447966990..30cdae42679 100644
--- a/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/fileapireader.h
+++ b/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/fileapireader.h
@@ -72,9 +72,7 @@ public:
     CMakeConfig takeParsedConfiguration(QString &errorMessage);
     QString ctestPath() const;
     std::unique_ptr<CMakeProjectNode> generateProjectTree(
-        const ProjectExplorer::TreeScanner::Result &allFiles,
-        QString &errorMessage,
-        bool includeHeaderNodes);
+        const ProjectExplorer::TreeScanner::Result &allFiles, bool failedToParse);
     ProjectExplorer::RawProjectParts createRawProjectParts(QString &errorMessage);
 
     bool isMultiConfig() const;