diff --git a/src/plugins/remotelinux/linuxdevice.cpp b/src/plugins/remotelinux/linuxdevice.cpp
index 88be06dd539..ce97e2a5a73 100644
--- a/src/plugins/remotelinux/linuxdevice.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/remotelinux/linuxdevice.cpp
@@ -1034,6 +1034,12 @@ DeviceEnvironmentFetcher::Ptr LinuxDevice::environmentFetcher() const
     return DeviceEnvironmentFetcher::Ptr(new LinuxDeviceEnvironmentFetcher(sharedFromThis()));
 }
 
+bool LinuxDevice::usableAsBuildDevice() const
+{
+    const bool isUsable = qtcEnvironmentVariableIntValue("QTC_ALLOW_REMOTE_LINUX_BUILD_DEVICES");
+    return isUsable;
+}
+
 QString LinuxDevice::userAtHost() const
 {
     return sshParameters().userAtHost();
diff --git a/src/plugins/remotelinux/linuxdevice.h b/src/plugins/remotelinux/linuxdevice.h
index 4897e87e6b4..0d4748cb308 100644
--- a/src/plugins/remotelinux/linuxdevice.h
+++ b/src/plugins/remotelinux/linuxdevice.h
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ public:
     ProjectExplorer::DeviceTester *createDeviceTester() const override;
     ProjectExplorer::DeviceProcessSignalOperation::Ptr signalOperation() const override;
     ProjectExplorer::DeviceEnvironmentFetcher::Ptr environmentFetcher() const override;
+    bool usableAsBuildDevice() const override;
 
     QString userAtHost() const;