diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/buildconfiguration.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/buildconfiguration.cpp
index 3ecfb78e2ad..e4d4bc5485b 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/buildconfiguration.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/buildconfiguration.cpp
@@ -72,8 +72,9 @@ bool BuildConfigMacroExpander::resolveMacro(const QString &name, QString *ret)
         *ret = m_bc->buildDirectory().toUserOutput();
         return true;
     }
-    *ret = Core::VariableManager::value(name.toUtf8());
-    return !ret->isEmpty();
+    bool found;
+    *ret = Core::VariableManager::value(name.toUtf8(), &found);
+    return found;
 }
 } // namespace Internal
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/localapplicationrunconfiguration.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/localapplicationrunconfiguration.cpp
index 18aca44940d..e1230f0dc72 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/localapplicationrunconfiguration.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/localapplicationrunconfiguration.cpp
@@ -55,8 +55,9 @@ bool FallBackMacroExpander::resolveMacro(const QString &name, QString *ret)
         *ret = m_target->project()->projectDirectory().toUserOutput();
         return true;
     }
-    *ret = Core::VariableManager::value(name.toUtf8());
-    return !ret->isEmpty();
+    bool found;
+    *ret = Core::VariableManager::value(name.toUtf8(), &found);
+    return found;
 }
 } // namespace Internal