diff --git a/src/plugins/autotoolsprojectmanager/autotoolsbuildconfiguration.cpp b/src/plugins/autotoolsprojectmanager/autotoolsbuildconfiguration.cpp
index 8ea2db675e6..b721a606ac1 100644
--- a/src/plugins/autotoolsprojectmanager/autotoolsbuildconfiguration.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/autotoolsprojectmanager/autotoolsbuildconfiguration.cpp
@@ -59,15 +59,8 @@ AutotoolsBuildConfiguration::AutotoolsBuildConfiguration(Target *parent, Core::I
     // /<foobar> is used so the un-changed check in setBuildDirectory() works correctly.
     // The leading / is to avoid the relative the path expansion in BuildConfiguration::buildDirectory.
     setBuildDirectory(Utils::FileName::fromString("/<foobar>"));
+    setBuildDirectoryHistoryCompleter("AutoTools.BuildDir.History");
     setConfigWidgetDisplayName(tr("Autotools Manager"));
-
-    BaseStringAspect *bd = buildDirectoryAspect();
-    bd->setLabelText(tr("Build directory:"));
-    bd->setDisplayStyle(BaseStringAspect::PathChooserDisplay);
-    bd->setExpectedKind(PathChooser::Directory);
-    bd->setBaseFileName(parent->project()->projectDirectory());
-    bd->setEnvironment(environment());
-    bd->setHistoryCompleter("AutoTools.BuildDir.History");
 }
 
 void AutotoolsBuildConfiguration::initialize(const BuildInfo &info)
diff --git a/src/plugins/genericprojectmanager/genericbuildconfiguration.cpp b/src/plugins/genericprojectmanager/genericbuildconfiguration.cpp
index e3283c27e9c..764799f8da3 100644
--- a/src/plugins/genericprojectmanager/genericbuildconfiguration.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/genericprojectmanager/genericbuildconfiguration.cpp
@@ -53,14 +53,7 @@ GenericBuildConfiguration::GenericBuildConfiguration(Target *parent, Core::Id id
     : BuildConfiguration(parent, id)
 {
     setConfigWidgetDisplayName(tr("Generic Manager"));
-
-    BaseStringAspect *bd = buildDirectoryAspect();
-    bd->setDisplayStyle(BaseStringAspect::PathChooserDisplay);
-    bd->setExpectedKind(PathChooser::Directory);
-    bd->setHistoryCompleter("Generic.BuildDir.History");
-    bd->setLabelText(tr("Build directory:"));
-    bd->setBaseFileName(parent->project()->projectDirectory());
-    bd->setEnvironment(environment());
+    setBuildDirectoryHistoryCompleter("Generic.BuildDir.History");
 
     updateCacheAndEmitEnvironmentChanged();
 }
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/buildconfiguration.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/buildconfiguration.cpp
index 87bcc0d7000..df6bee13842 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/buildconfiguration.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/buildconfiguration.cpp
@@ -42,11 +42,11 @@
 
 #include <coreplugin/idocument.h>
 
-#include <utils/qtcassert.h>
-#include <utils/macroexpander.h>
 #include <utils/algorithm.h>
-#include <utils/mimetypes/mimetype.h>
+#include <utils/macroexpander.h>
 #include <utils/mimetypes/mimedatabase.h>
+#include <utils/mimetypes/mimetype.h>
+#include <utils/qtcassert.h>
 
 #include <QDebug>
 #include <QFormLayout>
@@ -88,6 +88,13 @@ BuildConfiguration::BuildConfiguration(Target *target, Core::Id id)
 
     m_buildDirectoryAspect = addAspect<BaseStringAspect>();
     m_buildDirectoryAspect->setSettingsKey(BUILDDIRECTORY_KEY);
+    m_buildDirectoryAspect->setLabelText(tr("Build directory:"));
+    m_buildDirectoryAspect->setDisplayStyle(BaseStringAspect::PathChooserDisplay);
+    m_buildDirectoryAspect->setExpectedKind(Utils::PathChooser::Directory);
+    m_buildDirectoryAspect->setBaseFileName(target->project()->projectDirectory());
+    m_buildDirectoryAspect->setEnvironment(environment());
+    connect(m_buildDirectoryAspect, &BaseStringAspect::changed,
+            this, &BuildConfiguration::buildDirectoryChanged);
 
     connect(this, &BuildConfiguration::environmentChanged, this, [this] {
         m_buildDirectoryAspect->setEnvironment(environment());
@@ -230,6 +237,11 @@ void BuildConfiguration::setConfigWidgetDisplayName(const QString &display)
     m_configWidgetDisplayName = display;
 }
 
+void BuildConfiguration::setBuildDirectoryHistoryCompleter(const QString &history)
+{
+    m_buildDirectoryAspect->setHistoryCompleter(history);
+}
+
 Target *BuildConfiguration::target() const
 {
     return static_cast<Target *>(parent());
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/buildconfiguration.h b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/buildconfiguration.h
index 93db3a31399..7739cd5304f 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/buildconfiguration.h
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/buildconfiguration.h
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ public:
 
     ProjectExplorer::BaseStringAspect *buildDirectoryAspect() const;
     void setConfigWidgetDisplayName(const QString &display);
+    void setBuildDirectoryHistoryCompleter(const QString &history);
 
 signals:
     void environmentChanged();