diff --git a/src/plugins/texteditor/texteditor_dependencies.pri b/src/plugins/texteditor/texteditor_dependencies.pri
index cd58e56905a..85ccb3ded7f 100644
--- a/src/plugins/texteditor/texteditor_dependencies.pri
+++ b/src/plugins/texteditor/texteditor_dependencies.pri
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ QTC_PLUGIN_DEPENDS += \
 
 # needed for plugins that depend on TextEditor plugin
 include(../../shared/syntax/syntax_shared.pri)
-!isEmpty(KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_INCLUDE_DIR) {
+!isEmpty(KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_LIB_DIR):!isEmpty(KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_INCLUDE_DIR) {
     INCLUDEPATH *= $${KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_INCLUDE_DIR}
     LIBS *= -L$$KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_LIB_DIR -lKF5SyntaxHighlighting
 
diff --git a/src/shared/syntax/syntax_shared.pri b/src/shared/syntax/syntax_shared.pri
index 235939d35cf..a10ae45b5cb 100644
--- a/src/shared/syntax/syntax_shared.pri
+++ b/src/shared/syntax/syntax_shared.pri
@@ -3,17 +3,19 @@
 isEmpty(KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_LIB_DIR): KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_LIB_DIR=$$(KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_LIB_DIR)
 isEmpty(KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_INCLUDE_DIR): KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_INCLUDE_DIR=$$(KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_INCLUDE_DIR)
 
-!exists($$KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_LIB_DIR) {
-    unset(KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_LIB_DIR)
-    unset(KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_INCLUDE_DIR)
-} else {
-    isEmpty(KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_INCLUDE_DIR) {
-        !linux: KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_INCLUDE_DIR=$$absolute_path('../include/KF5/KSyntaxHighlighting/', $$KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_LIB_DIR)
-        else:  KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_INCLUDE_DIR=$$absolute_path('../../include/KF5/KSyntaxHighlighting/', $$KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_LIB_DIR)
-    }
-
-    !exists($$KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_INCLUDE_DIR) {
-        unset(KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_INCLUDE_DIR)
+!isEmpty(KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_LIB_DIR) {
+    !exists($$KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_LIB_DIR) {
         unset(KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_LIB_DIR)
+        unset(KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_INCLUDE_DIR)
+    } else {
+        isEmpty(KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_INCLUDE_DIR) {
+            !linux: KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_INCLUDE_DIR=$$absolute_path('../include/KF5/KSyntaxHighlighting/', $$KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_LIB_DIR)
+            else:  KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_INCLUDE_DIR=$$absolute_path('../../include/KF5/KSyntaxHighlighting/', $$KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_LIB_DIR)
+        }
+
+        !exists($$KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_INCLUDE_DIR) {
+            unset(KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_INCLUDE_DIR)
+            unset(KSYNTAXHIGHLIGHTING_LIB_DIR)
+        }
     }
 }