diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/environment.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/environment.cpp
index 38f35af9727..cfc9c2213d2 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/environment.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/environment.cpp
@@ -188,6 +188,9 @@ QString Environment::searchInPath(QString executable)
 //    qDebug()<<"looking for "<<executable<< "in PATH: "<<m_values.value("PATH");
     if (executable.isEmpty())
         return QString::null;
+    QFileInfo fi(executable);
+    if (fi.isAbsolute() && fi.exists())
+        return executable;
 #ifdef Q_OS_WIN
     if (!executable.endsWith(QLatin1String(".exe")))
         executable.append(QLatin1String(".exe"));