diff --git a/src/plugins/qbsprojectmanager/qbsprojectmanager.qbs b/src/plugins/qbsprojectmanager/qbsprojectmanager.qbs
index 34e2bee4f03..ec3c3571545 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qbsprojectmanager/qbsprojectmanager.qbs
+++ b/src/plugins/qbsprojectmanager/qbsprojectmanager.qbs
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ QtcPlugin {
         return libs
     }
 
-    condition: project.useExternalQbs || project.qbsSubModuleExists
+    condition: project.buildQbsProjectManager
 
     Depends { name: "Qt"; submodules: [ "widgets", "script" ] }
     Depends { name: "ProjectExplorer" }
diff --git a/src/src.qbs b/src/src.qbs
index 591e0f4adca..1a9c26b43f1 100644
--- a/src/src.qbs
+++ b/src/src.qbs
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ Project {
     property path qbs_build_dir: qbs.getenv("QBS_BUILD_DIR")
     property path qbs_source_dir: qbs.getenv("QBS_SOURCE_DIR")
     property bool useExternalQbs: qbs_build_dir && qbs_source_dir
+    property bool buildQbsProjectManager: useExternalQbs || qbsSubModuleExists
     Project {
         name: "qbs"
         id: qbsProject