diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/abstractmsvctoolchain.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/abstractmsvctoolchain.cpp
index 74816753ba3..fb3ad79b7af 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/abstractmsvctoolchain.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/abstractmsvctoolchain.cpp
@@ -98,54 +98,6 @@ QString AbstractMsvcToolChain::originalTargetTriple() const
             : QLatin1String("i686-pc-windows-msvc");
 }
 
-//
-// We want to detect the language version based on the predefined macros.
-// Unfortunately MSVC does not conform to standard when it comes to the predefined
-// __cplusplus macro - it reports "199711L", even for newer language versions.
-//
-// However:
-//   * For >= Visual Studio 2015 Update 3 predefines _MSVC_LANG which has the proper value
-//     of __cplusplus.
-//     See https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/preprocessor/predefined-macros?view=vs-2017
-//   * For >= Visual Studio 2017 Version 15.7 __cplusplus is correct once /Zc:__cplusplus
-//     is provided on the command line. Then __cplusplus == _MSVC_LANG.
-//     See https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/vcblog/2018/04/09/msvc-now-correctly-reports-__cplusplus
-//
-// We rely on _MSVC_LANG if possible, otherwise on some hard coded language versions
-// depending on _MSC_VER.
-//
-// For _MSV_VER values, see https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/preprocessor/predefined-macros?view=vs-2017.
-//
-LanguageVersion static languageVersionForMsvc(const Core::Id &language, const Macros &macros)
-{
-    int mscVer = -1;
-    QByteArray msvcLang;
-    for (const ProjectExplorer::Macro &macro : macros) {
-        if (macro.key == "_MSVC_LANG")
-            msvcLang = macro.value;
-        if (macro.key == "_MSC_VER")
-            mscVer = macro.value.toInt(nullptr);
-    }
-    QTC_CHECK(mscVer > 0);
-
-    if (language == Constants::CXX_LANGUAGE_ID) {
-        if (!msvcLang.isEmpty()) // >= Visual Studio 2015 Update 3
-            return ToolChain::cxxLanguageVersion(msvcLang);
-        if (mscVer >= 1800) // >= Visual Studio 2013 (12.0)
-            return LanguageVersion::CXX14;
-        if (mscVer >= 1600) // >= Visual Studio 2010 (10.0)
-            return LanguageVersion::CXX11;
-        return LanguageVersion::CXX98;
-    } else if (language == Constants::C_LANGUAGE_ID) {
-        if (mscVer >= 1910) // >= Visual Studio 2017 RTW (15.0)
-            return LanguageVersion::C11;
-        return LanguageVersion::C99;
-    } else {
-        QTC_CHECK(false && "Unexpected toolchain language, assuming latest C++ we support.");
-        return LanguageVersion::LatestCxx;
-    }
-}
-
 bool static hasFlagEffectOnMacros(const QString &flag)
 {
     if (flag.startsWith("-") || flag.startsWith("/")) {
@@ -177,8 +129,7 @@ ToolChain::MacroInspectionRunner AbstractMsvcToolChain::createMacroInspectionRun
 
         const Macros macros = msvcPredefinedMacros(filteredFlags, env);
 
-        const auto report = MacroInspectionReport{macros,
-                                                  languageVersionForMsvc(lang, macros)};
+        const auto report = MacroInspectionReport{macros, languageVersion(macros)};
         macroCache->insert(filteredFlags, report);
 
         return report;
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/abstractmsvctoolchain.h b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/abstractmsvctoolchain.h
index a0836e4dc6c..ccafa4f2995 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/abstractmsvctoolchain.h
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/abstractmsvctoolchain.h
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ protected:
     // Function must be thread-safe!
     virtual Macros msvcPredefinedMacros(const QStringList cxxflags,
                                         const Utils::Environment& env) const = 0;
-
+    virtual LanguageVersion languageVersion(const Macros &macros) const = 0;
 
     Utils::FileName m_debuggerCommand;
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/gcctoolchain.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/gcctoolchain.cpp
index 0f2060b840d..be82713d4cd 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/gcctoolchain.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/gcctoolchain.cpp
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@
 #include "gccparser.h"
 #include "linuxiccparser.h"
 #include "projectmacro.h"
-#include "projectexplorerconstants.h"
 #include "toolchainmanager.h"
 
 #include <coreplugin/icore.h>
@@ -98,18 +97,6 @@ static QByteArray runGcc(const FileName &gcc, const QStringList &arguments, cons
     return response.allOutput().toUtf8();
 }
 
-static const QStringList languageOption(Core::Id languageId)
-{
-    if (languageId == Constants::C_LANGUAGE_ID)
-        return {"-x", "c"};
-    return {"-x", "c++"};
-}
-
-static const QStringList gccPredefinedMacrosOptions(Core::Id languageId)
-{
-    return languageOption(languageId) + QStringList({"-E", "-dM"});
-}
-
 static ProjectExplorer::Macros gccPredefinedMacros(const FileName &gcc,
                                                    const QStringList &args,
                                                    const QStringList &env)
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/gcctoolchain.h b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/gcctoolchain.h
index 13685101fdc..c6e42fe73df 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/gcctoolchain.h
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/gcctoolchain.h
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 
 #include "projectexplorer_export.h"
 
+#include "projectexplorerconstants.h"
 #include "toolchain.h"
 #include "toolchaincache.h"
 #include "abi.h"
@@ -51,6 +52,18 @@ class LinuxIccToolChainFactory;
 // GccToolChain
 // --------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+inline const QStringList languageOption(Core::Id languageId)
+{
+    if (languageId == Constants::C_LANGUAGE_ID)
+        return {"-x", "c"};
+    return {"-x", "c++"};
+}
+
+inline const QStringList gccPredefinedMacrosOptions(Core::Id languageId)
+{
+    return languageOption(languageId) + QStringList({"-E", "-dM"});
+}
+
 class PROJECTEXPLORER_EXPORT GccToolChain : public ToolChain
 {
 public:
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/msvctoolchain.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/msvctoolchain.cpp
index 45fa8a5ecef..4707375ab29 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/msvctoolchain.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/msvctoolchain.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 
 #include "msvctoolchain.h"
 
+#include "gcctoolchain.h"
 #include "msvcparser.h"
 #include "projectexplorer.h"
 #include "projectexplorerconstants.h"
@@ -506,6 +507,55 @@ Macros MsvcToolChain::msvcPredefinedMacros(const QStringList cxxflags,
     return predefinedMacros;
 }
 
+//
+// We want to detect the language version based on the predefined macros.
+// Unfortunately MSVC does not conform to standard when it comes to the predefined
+// __cplusplus macro - it reports "199711L", even for newer language versions.
+//
+// However:
+//   * For >= Visual Studio 2015 Update 3 predefines _MSVC_LANG which has the proper value
+//     of __cplusplus.
+//     See https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/preprocessor/predefined-macros?view=vs-2017
+//   * For >= Visual Studio 2017 Version 15.7 __cplusplus is correct once /Zc:__cplusplus
+//     is provided on the command line. Then __cplusplus == _MSVC_LANG.
+//     See https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/vcblog/2018/04/09/msvc-now-correctly-reports-__cplusplus
+//
+// We rely on _MSVC_LANG if possible, otherwise on some hard coded language versions
+// depending on _MSC_VER.
+//
+// For _MSV_VER values, see https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/preprocessor/predefined-macros?view=vs-2017.
+//
+LanguageVersion MsvcToolChain::languageVersion(const Macros &macros) const
+{
+    const Core::Id lang = language();
+    int mscVer = -1;
+    QByteArray msvcLang;
+    for (const ProjectExplorer::Macro &macro : macros) {
+        if (macro.key == "_MSVC_LANG")
+            msvcLang = macro.value;
+        if (macro.key == "_MSC_VER")
+            mscVer = macro.value.toInt(nullptr);
+    }
+    QTC_CHECK(mscVer > 0);
+
+    if (lang == Constants::CXX_LANGUAGE_ID) {
+        if (!msvcLang.isEmpty()) // >= Visual Studio 2015 Update 3
+            return ToolChain::cxxLanguageVersion(msvcLang);
+        if (mscVer >= 1800) // >= Visual Studio 2013 (12.0)
+            return LanguageVersion::CXX14;
+        if (mscVer >= 1600) // >= Visual Studio 2010 (10.0)
+            return LanguageVersion::CXX11;
+        return LanguageVersion::CXX98;
+    } else if (lang == Constants::C_LANGUAGE_ID) {
+        if (mscVer >= 1910) // >= Visual Studio 2017 RTW (15.0)
+            return LanguageVersion::C11;
+        return LanguageVersion::C99;
+    } else {
+        QTC_CHECK(false && "Unexpected toolchain language, assuming latest C++ we support.");
+        return LanguageVersion::LatestCxx;
+    }
+}
+
 // Windows: Expand the delayed evaluation references returned by the
 // SDK setup scripts: "PATH=!Path!;foo". Some values might expand
 // to empty and should not be added
@@ -1063,6 +1113,31 @@ bool ClangClToolChain::operator ==(const ToolChain &other) const
     return m_clangPath == clangClTc->m_clangPath;
 }
 
+Macros ClangClToolChain::msvcPredefinedMacros(const QStringList cxxflags,
+                                              const Utils::Environment &env) const
+{
+    Utils::SynchronousProcess cpp;
+    cpp.setEnvironment(env.toStringList());
+    cpp.setWorkingDirectory(Utils::TemporaryDirectory::masterDirectoryPath());
+
+    QStringList arguments = cxxflags;
+    arguments.append(gccPredefinedMacrosOptions(language()));
+    arguments.append("-");
+    Utils::SynchronousProcessResponse response = cpp.runBlocking(compilerCommand().toString(),
+                                                                 arguments);
+    if (response.result != Utils::SynchronousProcessResponse::Finished ||
+            response.exitCode != 0) {
+        return {};
+    }
+
+    return Macro::toMacros(response.allRawOutput());
+}
+
+LanguageVersion ClangClToolChain::languageVersion(const Macros &macros) const
+{
+    return ToolChain::languageVersion(language(), macros);
+}
+
 // --------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // MsvcToolChainFactory
 // --------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/msvctoolchain.h b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/msvctoolchain.h
index d26b8c52bf4..46b7489d23c 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/msvctoolchain.h
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/msvctoolchain.h
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ protected:
     // Function must be thread-safe!
     Macros msvcPredefinedMacros(const QStringList cxxflags,
                                 const Utils::Environment &env) const override;
+    LanguageVersion languageVersion(const Macros &macros) const override;
 
 private:
     struct GenerateEnvResult
@@ -136,6 +137,9 @@ public:
     void setClangPath(const QString &path) { m_clangPath = path; }
 
     void resetMsvcToolChain(const MsvcToolChain *base = nullptr);
+    Macros msvcPredefinedMacros(const QStringList cxxflags,
+                                const Utils::Environment &env) const override;
+    LanguageVersion languageVersion(const Macros &macros) const override;
 
     bool operator ==(const ToolChain &) const override;
 private: