diff --git a/src/plugins/autotoolsprojectmanager/makestep.cpp b/src/plugins/autotoolsprojectmanager/makestep.cpp
index 99658dd7147..ce8be4c9b9d 100644
--- a/src/plugins/autotoolsprojectmanager/makestep.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/autotoolsprojectmanager/makestep.cpp
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ void MakeStepConfigWidget::updateDetails()
         Utils::QtcProcess::addArgs(&arguments, m_makeStep->additionalArguments());
 
         ProcessParameters param;
-        param.setMacroExpander(bc->macroExpander());
+        param.setMacroExpander(m_makeStep->macroExpander());
         param.setEnvironment(bc->environment());
         param.setWorkingDirectory(bc->buildDirectory().toString());
         param.setCommand(tcList.at(0)->makeCommand(bc->environment()));
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/buildstep.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/buildstep.cpp
index 1f4f87cf03e..d428b0bef30 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/buildstep.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/buildstep.cpp
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@ BuildStep::BuildStep(BuildStepList *bsl, Core::Id id) :
     ProjectConfiguration(bsl, id), m_enabled(true)
 {
     Q_ASSERT(bsl);
+    ctor();
 }
 
 BuildStep::BuildStep(BuildStepList *bsl, BuildStep *bs) :
@@ -122,6 +123,15 @@ BuildStep::BuildStep(BuildStepList *bsl, BuildStep *bs) :
 {
     Q_ASSERT(bsl);
     setDisplayName(bs->displayName());
+    ctor();
+}
+
+void BuildStep::ctor()
+{
+    Utils::MacroExpander *expander = macroExpander();
+    expander->setDisplayName(tr("Build Step"));
+    expander->setAccumulating(true);
+    expander->registerSubProvider([this] { return projectConfiguration()->macroExpander(); });
 }
 
 bool BuildStep::fromMap(const QVariantMap &map)
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/buildstep.h b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/buildstep.h
index c1c6949edec..bd907d9ddec 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/buildstep.h
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/buildstep.h
@@ -95,6 +95,8 @@ signals:
     void enabledChanged();
 
 private:
+    void ctor();
+
     bool m_enabled;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/processstep.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/processstep.cpp
index 2cae277a6d8..9b95a0870c1 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/processstep.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/processstep.cpp
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@
 #include "target.h"
 #include "kit.h"
 
+#include <coreplugin/variablechooser.h>
+
 #include <utils/macroexpander.h>
 
 #include <QDebug>
@@ -204,6 +206,7 @@ ProcessStepConfigWidget::ProcessStepConfigWidget(ProcessStep *step) :
 
     connect(m_ui.commandArgumentsLineEdit, &QLineEdit::textEdited,
             this, &ProcessStepConfigWidget::commandArgumentsLineEditTextEdited);
+    Core::VariableChooser::addSupportForChildWidgets(this, m_step->macroExpander());
 }
 
 void ProcessStepConfigWidget::updateDetails()
diff --git a/src/plugins/qmakeprojectmanager/makestep.cpp b/src/plugins/qmakeprojectmanager/makestep.cpp
index c2a2315b519..de4666461ba 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmakeprojectmanager/makestep.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/qmakeprojectmanager/makestep.cpp
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 #include "qmakebuildconfiguration.h"
 #include "qmakeprojectmanagerconstants.h"
 
+#include <coreplugin/variablechooser.h>
 #include <projectexplorer/target.h>
 #include <projectexplorer/toolchain.h>
 #include <projectexplorer/buildsteplist.h>
@@ -357,6 +358,8 @@ MakeStepConfigWidget::MakeStepConfigWidget(MakeStep *makeStep)
     connect(ProjectExplorerPlugin::instance(), &ProjectExplorerPlugin::settingsChanged,
             this, &MakeStepConfigWidget::updateDetails);
     connect(m_makeStep->target(), &Target::kitChanged, this, &MakeStepConfigWidget::updateDetails);
+
+    Core::VariableChooser::addSupportForChildWidgets(this, m_makeStep->macroExpander());
 }
 
 void MakeStepConfigWidget::activeBuildConfigurationChanged()
diff --git a/src/plugins/qmakeprojectmanager/qmakestep.cpp b/src/plugins/qmakeprojectmanager/qmakestep.cpp
index 440df96c28a..25c9a34cbcc 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmakeprojectmanager/qmakestep.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/qmakeprojectmanager/qmakestep.cpp
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
 
 #include <coreplugin/icore.h>
 #include <coreplugin/icontext.h>
+#include <coreplugin/variablechooser.h>
 #include <qtsupport/qtkitinformation.h>
 #include <qtsupport/qtversionmanager.h>
 #include <qtsupport/qtsupportconstants.h>
@@ -634,6 +635,9 @@ QMakeStepConfigWidget::QMakeStepConfigWidget(QMakeStep *step)
     connect(step->target(), &Target::kitChanged, this, &QMakeStepConfigWidget::qtVersionChanged);
     connect(QtVersionManager::instance(), &QtVersionManager::dumpUpdatedFor,
             this, &QMakeStepConfigWidget::qtVersionChanged);
+    auto chooser = new Core::VariableChooser(m_ui->qmakeAdditonalArgumentsLineEdit);
+    chooser->addMacroExpanderProvider([step] { return step->macroExpander(); });
+    chooser->addSupportedWidget(m_ui->qmakeAdditonalArgumentsLineEdit);
 }
 
 QMakeStepConfigWidget::~QMakeStepConfigWidget()