diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.cpp
index ef568c05ca6..c5cee97319a 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.cpp
@@ -1948,6 +1948,8 @@ bool ProjectExplorerPlugin::initialize(const QStringList &arguments, QString *er
         return SessionManager::activeSession();
     });
 
+    DeviceManager::instance()->addDevice(IDevice::Ptr(new DesktopDevice));
+
     return true;
 }
 
@@ -2063,8 +2065,6 @@ void ProjectExplorerPlugin::extensionsInitialized()
 
     BuildManager::extensionsInitialized();
 
-    DeviceManager::instance()->addDevice(IDevice::Ptr(new DesktopDevice));
-
     QSsh::SshSettings::loadSettings(Core::ICore::settings());
     const auto searchPathRetriever = [] {
         Utils::FilePaths searchPaths = {Core::ICore::libexecPath()};