diff --git a/src/plugins/plugins.pro b/src/plugins/plugins.pro
index 49961bc7a4e9320521cdacbeaf1152e21d89bb2b..d1c774128bb86ab22351bfe70ae69d4c5f7448f6 100644
--- a/src/plugins/plugins.pro
+++ b/src/plugins/plugins.pro
@@ -77,7 +77,11 @@ qtHaveModule(designercomponents_private) {
 
 DO_NOT_BUILD_QMLDESIGNER = $$(DO_NOT_BUILD_QMLDESIGNER)
 isEmpty(DO_NOT_BUILD_QMLDESIGNER):qtHaveModule(quick-private) {
-    SUBDIRS += qmldesigner
+    exists($$[QT_INSTALL_QML]/QtQuick/Controls/qmldir) {
+       SUBDIRS += qmldesigner
+    } else {
+        warning("QmlDesigner plugin has been disabled since Qt Quick Controls 1 are not installed.")
+    }
 } else {
     !qtHaveModule(quick-private) {
         warning("QmlDesigner plugin has been disabled since the Qt Quick module is not available.")