diff --git a/src/plugins/clangcodemodel/clangbackendipcintegration.cpp b/src/plugins/clangcodemodel/clangbackendipcintegration.cpp
index bd7d8028bc3..24c3415b0f3 100644
--- a/src/plugins/clangcodemodel/clangbackendipcintegration.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/clangcodemodel/clangbackendipcintegration.cpp
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ static QVector<ClangBackEnd::ProjectPartContainer> toProjectPartContainers(
     return projectPartContainers;
 }
 
-void IpcCommunicator::registerEmptyProjectForProjectLessFiles()
+void IpcCommunicator::registerFallbackProjectPart()
 {
     QTC_CHECK(m_connection.isConnected());
 
@@ -524,7 +524,7 @@ void IpcCommunicator::onCoreAboutToClose()
 
 void IpcCommunicator::initializeBackendWithCurrentData()
 {
-    registerEmptyProjectForProjectLessFiles();
+    registerFallbackProjectPart();
     registerCurrentProjectParts();
     registerCurrentCppEditorDocuments();
     registerCurrentCodeModelUiHeaders();
diff --git a/src/plugins/clangcodemodel/clangbackendipcintegration.h b/src/plugins/clangcodemodel/clangbackendipcintegration.h
index eafec7367e9..030976bfbe9 100644
--- a/src/plugins/clangcodemodel/clangbackendipcintegration.h
+++ b/src/plugins/clangcodemodel/clangbackendipcintegration.h
@@ -144,6 +144,8 @@ public:
     void requestDiagnostics(Core::IDocument *document);
     void updateChangeContentStartPosition(const QString &filePath, int position);
 
+    void registerFallbackProjectPart();
+
 public: // for tests
     IpcSenderInterface *setIpcSender(IpcSenderInterface *ipcSender);
     void killBackendProcess();
@@ -156,7 +158,6 @@ private:
 
     void initializeBackend();
     void initializeBackendWithCurrentData();
-    void registerEmptyProjectForProjectLessFiles();
     void registerCurrentProjectParts();
     void registerCurrentCppEditorDocuments();
     void registerCurrentCodeModelUiHeaders();
diff --git a/src/plugins/clangcodemodel/clangmodelmanagersupport.cpp b/src/plugins/clangcodemodel/clangmodelmanagersupport.cpp
index 95a2e51065c..d366097624b 100644
--- a/src/plugins/clangcodemodel/clangmodelmanagersupport.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/clangcodemodel/clangmodelmanagersupport.cpp
@@ -300,7 +300,9 @@ void ModelManagerSupportClang::onProjectPartsUpdated(ProjectExplorer::Project *p
     QTC_ASSERT(project, return);
     const CppTools::ProjectInfo projectInfo = cppModelManager()->projectInfo(project);
     QTC_ASSERT(projectInfo.isValid(), return);
+
     m_ipcCommunicator.registerProjectsParts(projectInfo.projectParts());
+    m_ipcCommunicator.registerFallbackProjectPart();
 }
 
 void ModelManagerSupportClang::onProjectPartsRemoved(const QStringList &projectPartIds)
@@ -308,6 +310,7 @@ void ModelManagerSupportClang::onProjectPartsRemoved(const QStringList &projectP
     if (!projectPartIds.isEmpty()) {
         unregisterTranslationUnitsWithProjectParts(projectPartIds);
         m_ipcCommunicator.unregisterProjectPartsForEditor(projectPartIds);
+        m_ipcCommunicator.registerFallbackProjectPart();
     }
 }