diff --git a/projectbuilders/ninjabuilder/kdevninjabuilderplugin.h b/projectbuilders/ninjabuilder/kdevninjabuilderplugin.h
--- a/projectbuilders/ninjabuilder/kdevninjabuilderplugin.h
+++ b/projectbuilders/ninjabuilder/kdevninjabuilderplugin.h
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@
     Q_INTERFACES( KDevelop::IProjectBuilder )
     public:
         KDevNinjaBuilderPlugin(QObject* parent = 0, const QVariantList& args = QVariantList());
-        bool hasError() const override;
         
         KJob* build(KDevelop::ProjectBaseItem* item) override;
         KJob* clean(KDevelop::ProjectBaseItem* item) override;
diff --git a/projectbuilders/ninjabuilder/kdevninjabuilderplugin.cpp b/projectbuilders/ninjabuilder/kdevninjabuilderplugin.cpp
--- a/projectbuilders/ninjabuilder/kdevninjabuilderplugin.cpp
+++ b/projectbuilders/ninjabuilder/kdevninjabuilderplugin.cpp
@@ -38,13 +38,9 @@
     : KDevelop::IPlugin("kdevninja", parent)
 {
     KDEV_USE_EXTENSION_INTERFACE( KDevelop::IProjectBuilder )
-    if(hasError())
-        qWarning() << "Ninja plugin installed but ninja is not installed.";
-}
-
-bool KDevNinjaBuilderPlugin::hasError() const
-{
-    return NinjaJob::ninjaBinary().isEmpty();
+    if(NinjaJob::ninjaBinary().isEmpty()) {
+        setErrorDescription(i18n("Unable to find ninja executable. Is it installed on the system?"));
+    }
 }
 
 static QStringList targetsInFolder(KDevelop::ProjectFolderItem* item)
diff --git a/projectmanagers/cmake/cmakedocumentation.h b/projectmanagers/cmake/cmakedocumentation.h
--- a/projectmanagers/cmake/cmakedocumentation.h
+++ b/projectmanagers/cmake/cmakedocumentation.h
@@ -41,9 +41,6 @@
     public:
         explicit CMakeDocumentation( QObject* parent = 0, const QVariantList& args = QVariantList() );
 
-        bool hasError() const override;
-        QString errorDescription() const override;
-
         KDevelop::IDocumentation::Ptr description(const QString& identifier, const QUrl &file) const override;
         KDevelop::IDocumentation::Ptr documentationForDeclaration(KDevelop::Declaration* declaration) const override;
         
diff --git a/projectmanagers/cmake/cmakedocumentation.cpp b/projectmanagers/cmake/cmakedocumentation.cpp
--- a/projectmanagers/cmake/cmakedocumentation.cpp
+++ b/projectmanagers/cmake/cmakedocumentation.cpp
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@
     KDEV_USE_EXTENSION_INTERFACE( ICMakeDocumentation )
 
     if (mCMakeCmd.isEmpty()) {
+        setErrorDescription(i18n("Unable to find cmake executable. Is it installed on the system?") );
         return;
     }
 
@@ -63,16 +64,6 @@
     initializeModel();
 }
 
-bool CMakeDocumentation::hasError() const
-{
-    return mCMakeCmd.isEmpty();
-}
-
-QString CMakeDocumentation::errorDescription() const
-{
-    return mCMakeCmd.isEmpty() ? i18n("cmake is not installed") : QString();
-}
-
 static const char* args[] = { "--help-command", "--help-variable", "--help-module", "--help-property", 0, 0 };
 
 void CMakeDocumentation::delayedInitialization()
diff --git a/projectmanagers/cmake/cmakemanager.h b/projectmanagers/cmake/cmakemanager.h
--- a/projectmanagers/cmake/cmakemanager.h
+++ b/projectmanagers/cmake/cmakemanager.h
@@ -81,9 +81,6 @@
 
     ~CMakeManager() override;
 
-    bool hasError() const override;
-    QString errorDescription() const override;
-
     Features features() const override { return Features(Folders | Targets | Files ); }
     KDevelop::IProjectBuilder* builder() const override;
     bool hasBuildInfo(KDevelop::ProjectBaseItem*) const override;
diff --git a/projectmanagers/cmake/cmakemanager.cpp b/projectmanagers/cmake/cmakemanager.cpp
--- a/projectmanagers/cmake/cmakemanager.cpp
+++ b/projectmanagers/cmake/cmakemanager.cpp
@@ -89,7 +89,8 @@
     KDEV_USE_EXTENSION_INTERFACE( KDevelop::ILanguageSupport )
     KDEV_USE_EXTENSION_INTERFACE( ICMakeManager)
 
-    if (hasError()) {
+    if (CMake::findExecutable().isEmpty()) {
+        setErrorDescription(i18n("Unable to find cmake executable. Is it installed on the system?"));
         m_highlight = nullptr;
         return;
     }
@@ -107,16 +108,6 @@
 //     connect(m_fileSystemChangeTimer,SIGNAL(timeout()),SLOT(filesystemBuffererTimeout()));
 }
 
-bool CMakeManager::hasError() const
-{
-    return CMake::findExecutable().isEmpty();
-}
-
-QString CMakeManager::errorDescription() const
-{
-    return hasError() ? i18n("cmake is not installed") : QString();
-}
-
 CMakeManager::~CMakeManager()
 {
     parseLock()->lockForWrite();