diff --git a/src/plugins/autotoolsprojectmanager/autotoolsproject.cpp b/src/plugins/autotoolsprojectmanager/autotoolsproject.cpp
index 4cffc351277..e0771d9468b 100644
--- a/src/plugins/autotoolsprojectmanager/autotoolsproject.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/autotoolsprojectmanager/autotoolsproject.cpp
@@ -125,7 +125,12 @@ IProjectManager *AutotoolsProject::projectManager() const
 
 QString AutotoolsProject::defaultBuildDirectory() const
 {
-    return projectDirectory();
+    return defaultBuildDirectory(projectFilePath());
+}
+
+QString AutotoolsProject::defaultBuildDirectory(const QString &projectPath)
+{
+    return QFileInfo(projectPath).absolutePath();
 }
 
 ProjectNode *AutotoolsProject::rootProjectNode() const
diff --git a/src/plugins/autotoolsprojectmanager/autotoolsproject.h b/src/plugins/autotoolsprojectmanager/autotoolsproject.h
index 9da7c6a1dd9..a39de5522bc 100644
--- a/src/plugins/autotoolsprojectmanager/autotoolsproject.h
+++ b/src/plugins/autotoolsprojectmanager/autotoolsproject.h
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ public:
     ProjectExplorer::ProjectNode *rootProjectNode() const;
     QStringList files(FilesMode fileMode) const;
     QString defaultBuildDirectory() const;
+    static QString defaultBuildDirectory(const QString &projectPath);
     QStringList buildTargets() const;
 
 protected: