diff --git a/src/libs/utils/consoleprocess.h b/src/libs/utils/consoleprocess.h
index 949db8fc637..0be84b8f2f2 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/consoleprocess.h
+++ b/src/libs/utils/consoleprocess.h
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ public:
 #else
     void setSettings(QSettings *settings);
     static QString defaultTerminalEmulator();
+    static QStringList availableTerminalEmulators();
     static QString terminalEmulator(const QSettings *settings);
     static void setTerminalEmulator(QSettings *settings, const QString &term);
 #endif
diff --git a/src/libs/utils/consoleprocess_unix.cpp b/src/libs/utils/consoleprocess_unix.cpp
index 4c514455676..c2f88cf1f9c 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/consoleprocess_unix.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/utils/consoleprocess_unix.cpp
@@ -277,21 +277,71 @@ void ConsoleProcess::stubExited()
     emit wrapperStopped();
 }
 
+struct Terminal {
+    const char *binary;
+    const char *options;
+};
+
+static const Terminal knownTerminals[] =
+{
+    {"xterm", "-e"},
+    {"aterm", "-e"},
+    {"Eterm", "-e"},
+    {"rxvt", "-e"},
+    {"urxvt", "-e"},
+    {"xfce4-terminal", "-x"},
+    {"konsole", "--nofork -e"},
+    {"gnome-terminal", "-x"}
+};
+
 QString ConsoleProcess::defaultTerminalEmulator()
 {
 #ifdef Q_OS_MAC
-    return QLatin1String("/usr/X11/bin/xterm");
+    return QLatin1String("/usr/X11/bin/xterm -e");
 #else
-    return QLatin1String("xterm");
+    const Environment env = Environment::systemEnvironment();
+    const int terminalCount = int(sizeof(knownTerminals) / sizeof(knownTerminals[0]));
+    for (int i = 0; i < terminalCount; ++i) {
+        QString result = env.searchInPath(QLatin1String(knownTerminals[i].binary));
+        if (!result.isEmpty()) {
+            result += QLatin1Char(' ');
+            result += QLatin1String(knownTerminals[i].options);
+            return result;
+        }
+    }
+    return QLatin1String("xterm -e");
+#endif
+}
+
+QStringList ConsoleProcess::availableTerminalEmulators()
+{
+#ifdef Q_OS_MAC
+    return QStringList(defaultTerminalEmulator());
+#else
+    QStringList result;
+    const Environment env = Environment::systemEnvironment();
+    const int terminalCount = int(sizeof(knownTerminals) / sizeof(knownTerminals[0]));
+    for (int i = 0; i < terminalCount; ++i) {
+        QString terminal = env.searchInPath(QLatin1String(knownTerminals[i].binary));
+        if (!terminal.isEmpty()) {
+            terminal += QLatin1Char(' ');
+            terminal += QLatin1String(knownTerminals[i].options);
+            result.push_back(terminal);
+        }
+    }
+    result.sort();
+    return result;
 #endif
 }
 
 QString ConsoleProcess::terminalEmulator(const QSettings *settings)
 {
-    const QString dflt = defaultTerminalEmulator() + QLatin1String(" -e");
-    if (!settings)
-        return dflt;
-    return settings->value(QLatin1String("General/TerminalEmulator"), dflt).toString();
+    if (settings) {
+        const QString value = settings->value(QLatin1String("General/TerminalEmulator")).toString();
+        if (!value.isEmpty())
+            return value;
+    }
+    return defaultTerminalEmulator();
 }
 
 void ConsoleProcess::setTerminalEmulator(QSettings *settings, const QString &term)
diff --git a/src/plugins/coreplugin/generalsettings.cpp b/src/plugins/coreplugin/generalsettings.cpp
index a6ab371b2b3..d8d98a8feec 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreplugin/generalsettings.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/coreplugin/generalsettings.cpp
@@ -113,10 +113,13 @@ QWidget *GeneralSettings::createPage(QWidget *parent)
     m_page->colorButton->setColor(StyleHelper::requestedBaseColor());
     m_page->reloadBehavior->setCurrentIndex(EditorManager::instance()->reloadSetting());
 #ifdef Q_OS_UNIX
-    m_page->terminalEdit->setText(ConsoleProcess::terminalEmulator(settings));
+    const QStringList availableTerminals = ConsoleProcess::availableTerminalEmulators();
+    const QString currentTerminal = ConsoleProcess::terminalEmulator(settings);
+    m_page->terminalComboBox->addItems(availableTerminals);
+    m_page->terminalComboBox->lineEdit()->setText(currentTerminal);
 #else
     m_page->terminalLabel->hide();
-    m_page->terminalEdit->hide();
+    m_page->terminalComboBox->hide();
     m_page->resetTerminalButton->hide();
 #endif
 
@@ -175,7 +178,7 @@ void GeneralSettings::apply()
     EditorManager::instance()->setReloadSetting(IDocument::ReloadSetting(m_page->reloadBehavior->currentIndex()));
 #ifdef Q_OS_UNIX
     ConsoleProcess::setTerminalEmulator(Core::ICore::settings(),
-                                        m_page->terminalEdit->text());
+                                        m_page->terminalComboBox->lineEdit()->text());
 #ifndef Q_OS_MAC
     Utils::UnixUtils::setFileBrowser(Core::ICore::settings(), m_page->externalFileBrowserEdit->text());
 #endif
@@ -200,7 +203,7 @@ void GeneralSettings::resetInterfaceColor()
 void GeneralSettings::resetTerminal()
 {
 #if defined(Q_OS_UNIX)
-    m_page->terminalEdit->setText(ConsoleProcess::defaultTerminalEmulator() + QLatin1String(" -e"));
+    m_page->terminalComboBox->lineEdit()->setText(ConsoleProcess::defaultTerminalEmulator());
 #endif
 }
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/coreplugin/generalsettings.ui b/src/plugins/coreplugin/generalsettings.ui
index 960d05b098d..08b42c94e0b 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreplugin/generalsettings.ui
+++ b/src/plugins/coreplugin/generalsettings.ui
@@ -124,7 +124,11 @@
        </widget>
       </item>
       <item row="0" column="1">
-       <widget class="QLineEdit" name="terminalEdit"/>
+       <widget class="QComboBox" name="terminalComboBox">
+        <property name="editable">
+         <bool>true</bool>
+        </property>
+       </widget>
       </item>
       <item row="1" column="0">
        <widget class="QLabel" name="externalFileBrowserLabel">
@@ -305,7 +309,7 @@
   <tabstop>colorButton</tabstop>
   <tabstop>resetButton</tabstop>
   <tabstop>languageBox</tabstop>
-  <tabstop>terminalEdit</tabstop>
+  <tabstop>terminalComboBox</tabstop>
   <tabstop>resetTerminalButton</tabstop>
   <tabstop>externalFileBrowserEdit</tabstop>
   <tabstop>resetFileBrowserButton</tabstop>