diff --git a/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmakeprojectmanager.cpp b/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmakeprojectmanager.cpp
index 98893345e55..d53679b1b0b 100644
--- a/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmakeprojectmanager.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmakeprojectmanager.cpp
@@ -126,11 +126,6 @@ QString CMakeManager::mimeType() const
     return QLatin1String(Constants::CMAKEPROJECTMIMETYPE);
 }
 
-bool CMakeManager::preferNinja()
-{
-    return CMakeToolManager::preferNinja();
-}
-
 // need to refactor this out
 // we probably want the process instead of this function
 // cmakeproject then could even run the cmake process in the background, adding the files afterwards
diff --git a/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmakeprojectmanager.h b/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmakeprojectmanager.h
index eccf1dd90bb..c1328373b5c 100644
--- a/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmakeprojectmanager.h
+++ b/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmakeprojectmanager.h
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ public:
     static void createXmlFile(Utils::QtcProcess *process, const QString &executable,
                               const QString &arguments, const QString &sourceDirectory,
                               const QDir &buildDirectory, const Utils::Environment &env);
-    static bool preferNinja();
     static QString findCbpFile(const QDir &);
 
 private:
diff --git a/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmakesettingspage.cpp b/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmakesettingspage.cpp
index 263ecd05c8d..45d936f7d86 100644
--- a/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmakesettingspage.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmakesettingspage.cpp
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@
 #include <QTreeView>
 #include <QWidget>
 #include <QUuid>
-#include <QCheckBox>
 
 using namespace Utils;
 
@@ -390,9 +389,6 @@ public:
         m_makeDefButton->setEnabled(false);
         m_makeDefButton->setToolTip(tr("Set as the default CMake Tool to use when creating a new kit or when no value is set."));
 
-        m_preferNinjaCheckBox = new QCheckBox(tr("Prefer Ninja generator (CMake 2.8.9 or higher required)"));
-        m_preferNinjaCheckBox->setChecked(CMakeToolManager::preferNinja());
-
         m_container = new DetailsWidget(this);
         m_container->setState(DetailsWidget::NoSummary);
         m_container->setVisible(false);
@@ -421,7 +417,6 @@ public:
         QVBoxLayout *verticalLayout = new QVBoxLayout();
         verticalLayout->addWidget(m_cmakeToolsView);
         verticalLayout->addWidget(m_container);
-        verticalLayout->addWidget(m_preferNinjaCheckBox);
 
         QHBoxLayout *horizontalLayout = new QHBoxLayout(this);
         horizontalLayout->addLayout(verticalLayout);
@@ -456,7 +451,6 @@ public:
     QPushButton *m_cloneButton;
     QPushButton *m_delButton;
     QPushButton *m_makeDefButton;
-    QCheckBox *m_preferNinjaCheckBox;
     DetailsWidget *m_container;
     CMakeToolItemConfigWidget *m_itemConfigWidget;
     CMakeToolTreeItem *m_currentItem;
@@ -465,7 +459,6 @@ public:
 void CMakeToolConfigWidget::apply()
 {
     m_model.apply();
-    CMakeToolManager::setPreferNinja(m_preferNinjaCheckBox->checkState() == Qt::Checked);
 }
 
 void CMakeToolConfigWidget::cloneCMakeTool()
diff --git a/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmaketoolmanager.cpp b/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmaketoolmanager.cpp
index e516605f5e8..0706de1d92c 100644
--- a/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmaketoolmanager.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmaketoolmanager.cpp
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ namespace CMakeProjectManager {
 
 const char CMAKETOOL_COUNT_KEY[] = "CMakeTools.Count";
 const char CMAKETOOL_DEFAULT_KEY[] = "CMakeTools.Default";
-const char CMAKETOOL_PREFER_NINJA_KEY[] = "CMakeTools.PreferNinja";
 const char CMAKETOOL_DATA_KEY[] = "CMakeTools.";
 const char CMAKETOOL_FILE_VERSION_KEY[] = "Version";
 const char CMAKETOOL_FILENAME[] = "/qtcreator/cmaketools.xml";
@@ -52,16 +51,12 @@ const char CMAKETOOL_FILENAME[] = "/qtcreator/cmaketools.xml";
 class CMakeToolManagerPrivate
 {
 public:
-    CMakeToolManagerPrivate() : m_preferNinja(false), m_writer(0)
-    { }
-
-    bool m_preferNinja;
     Id m_defaultCMake;
     QList<CMakeTool *> m_cmakeTools;
-    PersistentSettingsWriter *m_writer;
+    PersistentSettingsWriter *m_writer =  nullptr;
     QList<CMakeToolManager::AutodetectionHelper> m_autoDetectionHelpers;
 };
-static CMakeToolManagerPrivate *d = 0;
+static CMakeToolManagerPrivate *d = nullptr;
 
 static void addCMakeTool(CMakeTool *item)
 {
@@ -116,7 +111,6 @@ static QList<CMakeTool *> readCMakeTools(const FileName &fileName, Core::Id *def
     }
 
     *defaultId = Id::fromSetting(data.value(QLatin1String(CMAKETOOL_DEFAULT_KEY), defaultId->toSetting()));
-    d->m_preferNinja= data.value(QLatin1String(CMAKETOOL_PREFER_NINJA_KEY), d->m_preferNinja).toBool();
 
     return loaded;
 }
@@ -137,7 +131,7 @@ static void readAndDeleteLegacyCMakeSettings ()
 
             if (!CMakeToolManager::registerCMakeTool(item)) {
                 delete item;
-                item = 0;
+                item = nullptr;
             }
         }
 
@@ -146,9 +140,6 @@ static void readAndDeleteLegacyCMakeSettings ()
             d->m_defaultCMake = item->id();
     }
 
-    //read the legacy ninja setting, if its not available use the current value
-    d->m_preferNinja = settings->value(QLatin1String("preferNinja"), d->m_preferNinja).toBool();
-
     settings->remove(QString());
     settings->endGroup();
 }
@@ -196,7 +187,7 @@ static QList<CMakeTool *> autoDetectCMakeTools()
     return found;
 }
 
-CMakeToolManager *CMakeToolManager::m_instance = 0;
+CMakeToolManager *CMakeToolManager::m_instance = nullptr;
 
 CMakeToolManager::CMakeToolManager(QObject *parent) : QObject(parent)
 {
@@ -218,7 +209,6 @@ CMakeToolManager::~CMakeToolManager()
     delete d->m_writer;
     qDeleteAll(d->m_cmakeTools);
     delete d;
-    d = 0;
 }
 
 CMakeToolManager *CMakeToolManager::instance()
@@ -231,16 +221,6 @@ QList<CMakeTool *> CMakeToolManager::cmakeTools()
     return d->m_cmakeTools;
 }
 
-void CMakeToolManager::setPreferNinja(bool set)
-{
-    d->m_preferNinja = set;
-}
-
-bool CMakeToolManager::preferNinja()
-{
-    return d->m_preferNinja;
-}
-
 Id CMakeToolManager::registerOrFindCMakeTool(const FileName &command)
 {
     CMakeTool  *cmake = findByCommand(command);
@@ -416,7 +396,6 @@ void CMakeToolManager::saveCMakeTools()
     QVariantMap data;
     data.insert(QLatin1String(CMAKETOOL_FILE_VERSION_KEY), 1);
     data.insert(QLatin1String(CMAKETOOL_DEFAULT_KEY), d->m_defaultCMake.toSetting());
-    data.insert(QLatin1String(CMAKETOOL_PREFER_NINJA_KEY), d->m_preferNinja);
 
     int count = 0;
     foreach (CMakeTool *item, d->m_cmakeTools) {
diff --git a/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmaketoolmanager.h b/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmaketoolmanager.h
index e1818d390f9..81ffab8522d 100644
--- a/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmaketoolmanager.h
+++ b/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmaketoolmanager.h
@@ -48,8 +48,6 @@ public:
     static CMakeToolManager *instance();
 
     static QList<CMakeTool *> cmakeTools();
-    static void setPreferNinja(bool set);
-    static bool preferNinja();
 
     static Core::Id registerOrFindCMakeTool(const Utils::FileName &command);
     static bool registerCMakeTool(CMakeTool *tool);