diff --git a/src/plugins/qmakeprojectmanager/qmakemakestep.cpp b/src/plugins/qmakeprojectmanager/qmakemakestep.cpp
index 77351d4ef9f..8de452e0a2c 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmakeprojectmanager/qmakemakestep.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/qmakeprojectmanager/qmakemakestep.cpp
@@ -83,6 +83,10 @@ bool QmakeMakeStep::init()
         return false;
     }
 
+    // Ignore all but the first make step for a non-top-level build. See QTCREATORBUG-15794.
+    m_ignoredNonTopLevelBuild = (bc->fileNodeBuild() || bc->subNodeBuild())
+            && static_cast<BuildStepList *>(parent())->firstOfType<QmakeMakeStep>() != this;
+
     ProcessParameters *pp = processParameters();
     pp->setMacroExpander(bc->macroExpander());
 
@@ -177,7 +181,7 @@ bool QmakeMakeStep::init()
 
 void QmakeMakeStep::doRun()
 {
-    if (m_scriptTarget) {
+    if (m_scriptTarget || m_ignoredNonTopLevelBuild) {
         emit finished(true);
         return;
     }
diff --git a/src/plugins/qmakeprojectmanager/qmakemakestep.h b/src/plugins/qmakeprojectmanager/qmakemakestep.h
index b8142feff6e..d1d78d19991 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmakeprojectmanager/qmakemakestep.h
+++ b/src/plugins/qmakeprojectmanager/qmakemakestep.h
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ private:
     bool m_scriptTarget = false;
     QString m_makeFileToCheck;
     bool m_unalignedBuildDir;
+    bool m_ignoredNonTopLevelBuild = false;
 };
 
 } // QmakeProjectManager