diff --git a/src/libs/utils/environment.cpp b/src/libs/utils/environment.cpp
index db178852676..2d3d6edf3b4 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/environment.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/utils/environment.cpp
@@ -136,8 +136,10 @@ void Environment::setupEnglishOutput()
     set("LANGUAGE", "en_US:en");
 }
 
-FilePath Environment::searchInDirectory(const QStringList &execs, const FilePath &directory,
-                                        QSet<FilePath> &alreadyChecked)
+static FilePath searchInDirectory(const Environment &env,
+                                  const QStringList &execs,
+                                  const FilePath &directory,
+                                  QSet<FilePath> &alreadyChecked)
 {
     const int checkedCount = alreadyChecked.count();
     alreadyChecked.insert(directory);
@@ -199,17 +201,19 @@ QString Environment::expandedValueForKey(const QString &key) const
     return expandVariables(value(key));
 }
 
-FilePath Environment::searchInPath(const QString &executable,
-                                   const FilePaths &additionalDirs,
-                                   const PathFilter &func) const
+static FilePath searchInDirectoriesHelper(const Environment &env,
+                                          const QString &executable,
+                                          const FilePaths &dirs,
+                                          const Environment::PathFilter &func,
+                                          bool usePath)
 {
     if (executable.isEmpty())
         return FilePath();
 
-    const QString exec = QDir::cleanPath(expandVariables(executable));
+    const QString exec = QDir::cleanPath(env.expandVariables(executable));
     const QFileInfo fi(exec);
 
-    const QStringList execs = appendExeExtensions(exec);
+    const QStringList execs = env.appendExeExtensions(exec);
 
     if (fi.isAbsolute()) {
         for (const QString &path : execs) {
@@ -221,23 +225,38 @@ FilePath Environment::searchInPath(const QString &executable,
     }
 
     QSet<FilePath> alreadyChecked;
-    for (const FilePath &dir : additionalDirs) {
-        FilePath tmp = searchInDirectory(execs, dir, alreadyChecked);
+    for (const FilePath &dir : dirs) {
+        FilePath tmp = searchInDirectory(env, execs, dir, alreadyChecked);
         if (!tmp.isEmpty() && (!func || func(tmp)))
             return tmp;
     }
 
-    if (executable.contains('/'))
-        return FilePath();
+    if (usePath) {
+        if (executable.contains('/'))
+            return FilePath();
 
-    for (const FilePath &p : path()) {
-        FilePath tmp = searchInDirectory(execs, p, alreadyChecked);
-        if (!tmp.isEmpty() && (!func || func(tmp)))
-            return tmp;
+        for (const FilePath &p : env.path()) {
+            FilePath tmp = searchInDirectory(env, execs, p, alreadyChecked);
+            if (!tmp.isEmpty() && (!func || func(tmp)))
+                return tmp;
+        }
     }
     return FilePath();
 }
 
+FilePath Environment::searchInDirectories(const QString &executable,
+                                          const FilePaths &dirs) const
+{
+    return searchInDirectoriesHelper(*this, executable, dirs, {}, false);
+}
+
+FilePath Environment::searchInPath(const QString &executable,
+                                   const FilePaths &additionalDirs,
+                                   const PathFilter &func) const
+{
+    return searchInDirectoriesHelper(*this, executable, additionalDirs, func, true);
+}
+
 FilePaths Environment::findAllInPath(const QString &executable,
                                         const FilePaths &additionalDirs,
                                         const Environment::PathFilter &func) const
@@ -262,14 +281,14 @@ FilePaths Environment::findAllInPath(const QString &executable,
     QSet<FilePath> result;
     QSet<FilePath> alreadyChecked;
     for (const FilePath &dir : additionalDirs) {
-        FilePath tmp = searchInDirectory(execs, dir, alreadyChecked);
+        FilePath tmp = searchInDirectory(*this, execs, dir, alreadyChecked);
         if (!tmp.isEmpty() && (!func || func(tmp)))
             result << tmp;
     }
 
     if (!executable.contains('/')) {
         for (const FilePath &p : path()) {
-            FilePath tmp = searchInDirectory(execs, p, alreadyChecked);
+            FilePath tmp = searchInDirectory(*this, execs, p, alreadyChecked);
             if (!tmp.isEmpty() && (!func || func(tmp)))
                 result << tmp;
         }
diff --git a/src/libs/utils/environment.h b/src/libs/utils/environment.h
index c20ed67f7df..9cfa64faba4 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/environment.h
+++ b/src/libs/utils/environment.h
@@ -63,6 +63,8 @@ public:
     FilePath searchInPath(const QString &executable,
                           const FilePaths &additionalDirs = FilePaths(),
                           const PathFilter &func = PathFilter()) const;
+    FilePath searchInDirectories(const QString &executable,
+                                 const FilePaths &dirs) const;
     FilePaths findAllInPath(const QString &executable,
                                const FilePaths &additionalDirs = FilePaths(),
                                const PathFilter &func = PathFilter()) const;
@@ -80,10 +82,6 @@ public:
 
     static void modifySystemEnvironment(const EnvironmentItems &list); // use with care!!!
     static void setSystemEnvironment(const Environment &environment);  // don't use at all!!!
-
-private:
-    static FilePath searchInDirectory(const QStringList &execs, const FilePath &directory,
-                                      QSet<FilePath> &alreadyChecked);
 };
 
 class QTCREATOR_UTILS_EXPORT EnvironmentChange final
diff --git a/src/libs/utils/filepath.cpp b/src/libs/utils/filepath.cpp
index 3602a6c304f..fd68683acee 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/filepath.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/utils/filepath.cpp
@@ -1208,7 +1208,7 @@ FilePath FilePath::searchInDirectories(const FilePaths &dirs) const
         QTC_ASSERT(s_deviceHooks.searchInPath, return {});
         return s_deviceHooks.searchInPath(*this, dirs);
     }
-    return Environment::systemEnvironment().searchInPath(path(), dirs);
+    return Environment::systemEnvironment().searchInDirectories(path(), dirs);
 }
 
 FilePath FilePath::searchInPath(const QList<FilePath> &additionalDirs) const