diff --git a/src/libs/utils/pathchooser.cpp b/src/libs/utils/pathchooser.cpp
index b460c0ea57b..b3916630a1a 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/pathchooser.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/utils/pathchooser.cpp
@@ -189,6 +189,7 @@ public:
     QString m_dialogTitleOverride;
     QString m_dialogFilter;
     QString m_initialBrowsePathOverride;
+    QString m_defaultValue;
     FilePath m_baseDirectory;
     Environment m_environment;
     BinaryVersionToolTipEventFilter *m_binaryVersionToolTipEventFilter = nullptr;
@@ -521,6 +522,12 @@ void PathChooser::setAboutToShowContextMenuHandler(PathChooser::AboutToShowConte
     s_aboutToShowContextMenuHandler = handler;
 }
 
+void PathChooser::setDefaultValue(const QString &defaultValue)
+{
+    d->m_defaultValue = defaultValue;
+    d->m_lineEdit->setPlaceholderText(defaultValue);
+}
+
 FancyLineEdit::ValidationFunction PathChooser::defaultValidationFunction() const
 {
     return std::bind(&PathChooser::validatePath, this, std::placeholders::_1, std::placeholders::_2);
@@ -528,15 +535,19 @@ FancyLineEdit::ValidationFunction PathChooser::defaultValidationFunction() const
 
 bool PathChooser::validatePath(FancyLineEdit *edit, QString *errorMessage) const
 {
-    const QString path = edit->text();
-    QString expandedPath = d->expandedPath(path);
+    QString path = edit->text();
 
     if (path.isEmpty()) {
-        if (errorMessage)
-            *errorMessage = tr("The path must not be empty.");
-        return false;
+        if (!d->m_defaultValue.isEmpty()) {
+            path = d->m_defaultValue;
+        } else {
+            if (errorMessage)
+                *errorMessage = tr("The path must not be empty.");
+            return false;
+        }
     }
 
+    const QString expandedPath = d->expandedPath(path);
     if (expandedPath.isEmpty()) {
         if (errorMessage)
             *errorMessage = tr("The path \"%1\" expanded to an empty string.").arg(QDir::toNativeSeparators(path));
diff --git a/src/libs/utils/pathchooser.h b/src/libs/utils/pathchooser.h
index cc864b48be1..b7320d6c5d3 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/pathchooser.h
+++ b/src/libs/utils/pathchooser.h
@@ -153,6 +153,10 @@ public:
     // Deprecated. Use filePath()
     FilePath fileName() const { return filePath(); }
 
+    // this sets the placeHolderText to defaultValue and enables to use this as
+    // input value during validation if the real value is empty
+    // setting an empty QString will disable this and clear the placeHolderText
+    void setDefaultValue(const QString &defaultValue);
 private:
     bool validatePath(FancyLineEdit *edit, QString *errorMessage) const;
     // Returns overridden title or the one from <title>
diff --git a/src/plugins/clangtools/settingswidget.cpp b/src/plugins/clangtools/settingswidget.cpp
index b2ef2846414..f4511c72e70 100644
--- a/src/plugins/clangtools/settingswidget.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/clangtools/settingswidget.cpp
@@ -49,24 +49,10 @@ static void setupPathChooser(Utils::PathChooser *const chooser,
                              const QString &historyCompleterId)
 {
     chooser->setPromptDialogTitle(promptDiaglogTitle);
-    chooser->lineEdit()->setPlaceholderText(placeHolderText);
+    chooser->setDefaultValue(placeHolderText);
     chooser->setPath(pathFromSettings);
     chooser->setExpectedKind(Utils::PathChooser::ExistingCommand);
     chooser->setHistoryCompleter(historyCompleterId);
-    chooser->setValidationFunction([chooser](Utils::FancyLineEdit *edit, QString *errorMessage) {
-        const QString currentFilePath = chooser->filePath().toString();
-        Utils::PathChooser pc;
-        Utils::PathChooser *helperPathChooser;
-        if (currentFilePath.isEmpty()) {
-            pc.setExpectedKind(chooser->expectedKind());
-            pc.setPath(edit->placeholderText());
-            helperPathChooser = &pc;
-        } else {
-            helperPathChooser = chooser;
-        }
-
-        return chooser->defaultValidationFunction()(helperPathChooser->lineEdit(), errorMessage);
-    });
 }
 
 SettingsWidget *SettingsWidget::instance()