diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectimporter.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectimporter.cpp
index 760db32763e..6aba0c1a82d 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectimporter.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectimporter.cpp
@@ -26,8 +26,11 @@
 #include "projectimporter.h"
 
 #include "kit.h"
+#include "kitinformation.h"
 #include "kitmanager.h"
 #include "project.h"
+#include "projectexplorerconstants.h"
+#include "target.h"
 
 #include <coreplugin/idocument.h>
 
@@ -49,6 +52,31 @@ ProjectImporter::~ProjectImporter()
         removeProject(k);
 }
 
+Target *ProjectImporter::preferredTarget(const QList<Target *> &possibleTargets)
+{
+    // Select active target
+    // a) The default target
+    // c) Desktop target
+    // d) the first target
+    Target *activeTarget = nullptr;
+    if (possibleTargets.isEmpty())
+        return activeTarget;
+
+    activeTarget = possibleTargets.at(0);
+    bool pickedFallback = false;
+    foreach (Target *t, possibleTargets) {
+        if (t->kit() == KitManager::defaultKit())
+            return t;
+        if (pickedFallback)
+            continue;
+        if (DeviceTypeKitInformation::deviceTypeId(t->kit()) == Constants::DESKTOP_DEVICE_TYPE) {
+            activeTarget = t;
+            pickedFallback = true;
+        }
+    }
+    return activeTarget;
+}
+
 void ProjectImporter::markTemporary(Kit *k)
 {
     QTC_ASSERT(!k->hasValue(KIT_IS_TEMPORARY), return);
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectimporter.h b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectimporter.h
index 050fce27327..deb91fa516d 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectimporter.h
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectimporter.h
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ public:
 
     virtual QList<BuildInfo *> import(const Utils::FileName &importPath, bool silent = false) = 0;
     virtual QStringList importCandidates() = 0;
-    virtual Target *preferredTarget(const QList<Target *> &possibleTargets) = 0;
+    virtual Target *preferredTarget(const QList<Target *> &possibleTargets);
 
     bool isUpdating() const { return m_isUpdating; }
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/qmakeprojectmanager/qmakeprojectimporter.cpp b/src/plugins/qmakeprojectmanager/qmakeprojectimporter.cpp
index 6bff1aab3c5..6a127dd1936 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmakeprojectmanager/qmakeprojectimporter.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/qmakeprojectmanager/qmakeprojectimporter.cpp
@@ -33,9 +33,7 @@
 #include "qmakestep.h"
 
 #include <coreplugin/icore.h>
-#include <coreplugin/idocument.h>
 #include <projectexplorer/kitmanager.h>
-#include <projectexplorer/target.h>
 #include <projectexplorer/toolchain.h>
 #include <projectexplorer/toolchainmanager.h>
 #include <qtsupport/qtkitinformation.h>
@@ -249,28 +247,6 @@ QStringList QmakeProjectImporter::importCandidates()
     return candidates;
 }
 
-Target *QmakeProjectImporter::preferredTarget(const QList<Target *> &possibleTargets)
-{
-    // Select active target
-    // a) The default target
-    // b) Simulator target
-    // c) Desktop target
-    // d) the first target
-    Target *activeTarget = possibleTargets.isEmpty() ? 0 : possibleTargets.at(0);
-    int activeTargetPriority = 0;
-    foreach (Target *t, possibleTargets) {
-        BaseQtVersion *version = QtKitInformation::qtVersion(t->kit());
-        if (t->kit() == KitManager::defaultKit()) {
-            activeTarget = t;
-            activeTargetPriority = 3;
-        } else if (activeTargetPriority < 1 && version && version->type() == QLatin1String(QtSupport::Constants::DESKTOPQT)) {
-            activeTarget = t;
-            activeTargetPriority = 1;
-        }
-    }
-    return activeTarget;
-}
-
 static ToolChain *preferredToolChain(BaseQtVersion *qtVersion, const FileName &ms, const QMakeStepConfig::TargetArchConfig &archConfig)
 {
     const FileName spec = ms.isEmpty() ? qtVersion->mkspec() : ms;
diff --git a/src/plugins/qmakeprojectmanager/qmakeprojectimporter.h b/src/plugins/qmakeprojectmanager/qmakeprojectimporter.h
index aa59a152322..fd63a6e7201 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmakeprojectmanager/qmakeprojectimporter.h
+++ b/src/plugins/qmakeprojectmanager/qmakeprojectimporter.h
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@ public:
 
     QList<ProjectExplorer::BuildInfo *> import(const Utils::FileName &importPath, bool silent = false) final;
     QStringList importCandidates() final;
-    ProjectExplorer::Target *preferredTarget(const QList<ProjectExplorer::Target *> &possibleTargets) final;
 
 private:
     ProjectExplorer::Kit *createTemporaryKit(const QtProjectImporter::QtVersionData &data,