diff --git a/src/plugins/autotoolsprojectmanager/makestep.cpp b/src/plugins/autotoolsprojectmanager/makestep.cpp
index 51206624c41c2024af3b46740d9db73702e1e114..7eef782c692f56c9beb666a83afc15452ef165ac 100644
--- a/src/plugins/autotoolsprojectmanager/makestep.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/autotoolsprojectmanager/makestep.cpp
@@ -312,6 +312,8 @@ QString MakeStepConfigWidget::summaryText() const
 void MakeStepConfigWidget::updateDetails()
 {
     BuildConfiguration *bc = m_makeStep->buildConfiguration();
+    if (!bc)
+        bc = m_makeStep->target()->activeBuildConfiguration();
     ToolChain *tc = ProjectExplorer::ToolChainKitInformation::toolChain(m_makeStep->target()->kit());
 
     if (tc) {