diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/buildconfiguration.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/buildconfiguration.cpp
index 12d293cdf65..25c56725ba8 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/buildconfiguration.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/buildconfiguration.cpp
@@ -306,6 +306,21 @@ QString BuildConfiguration::disabledReason() const
     return QString();
 }
 
+QString BuildConfiguration::buildTypeName(BuildConfiguration::BuildType type)
+{
+    switch (type) {
+    case ProjectExplorer::BuildConfiguration::Debug:
+        return QLatin1String("debug");
+    case ProjectExplorer::BuildConfiguration::Profile:
+        return QLatin1String("profile");
+    case ProjectExplorer::BuildConfiguration::Release:
+        return QLatin1String("release");
+    case ProjectExplorer::BuildConfiguration::Unknown: // fallthrough
+    default:
+        return QLatin1String("unknown");
+    }
+}
+
 ///
 // IBuildConfigurationFactory
 ///
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/buildconfiguration.h b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/buildconfiguration.h
index 1dae36db758..81d2f05a7b6 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/buildconfiguration.h
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/buildconfiguration.h
@@ -91,6 +91,8 @@ public:
     };
     virtual BuildType buildType() const = 0;
 
+    static QString buildTypeName(BuildType type);
+
 signals:
     void environmentChanged();
     void buildDirectoryChanged();
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.cpp
index d64479adf02..285c1b18c30 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.cpp
@@ -1371,16 +1371,10 @@ bool ProjectExplorerPlugin::initialize(const QStringList &arguments, QString *er
     expander->registerVariable(Constants::VAR_CURRENTBUILD_TYPE,
         tr("The currently active build configuration's type."),
         [&]() -> QString {
-            if (BuildConfiguration *bc = activeBuildConfiguration()) {
-                BuildConfiguration::BuildType type = bc->buildType();
-                if (type == BuildConfiguration::Debug)
-                    return QLatin1String("debug");
-                if (type == BuildConfiguration::Release)
-                    return QLatin1String("release");
-                if (type == BuildConfiguration::Profile)
-                    return QLatin1String("profile");
-            }
-            return tr("unknown");
+            BuildConfiguration *bc = activeBuildConfiguration();
+            const BuildConfiguration::BuildType type
+                                   = bc ? bc->buildType() : BuildConfiguration::Unknown;
+            return BuildConfiguration::buildTypeName(type);
         });