diff --git a/projectbuilders/makebuilder/makebuilderconfig.kcfg b/projectbuilders/makebuilder/makebuilderconfig.kcfg
--- a/projectbuilders/makebuilder/makebuilderconfig.kcfg
+++ b/projectbuilders/makebuilder/makebuilderconfig.kcfg
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
         <default>false</default>
     </entry>
     <entry name="suCommand" key="Su Command" type="String">
+        <default>kdesu -t</default>
     </entry>
     <entry name="overrideNumberOfJobs" key="Override Number Of Jobs" type="Bool">
         <default>false</default>
diff --git a/projectbuilders/makebuilder/makejob.cpp b/projectbuilders/makebuilder/makejob.cpp
--- a/projectbuilders/makebuilder/makejob.cpp
+++ b/projectbuilders/makebuilder/makejob.cpp
@@ -212,8 +212,7 @@
             //project is opened.
         }
 
-        QRegExp regEx(" ");
-        suCommandWithArg = suCommand.split(regEx);
+        suCommandWithArg = KShell::splitArgs(suCommand);
         if( suCommandWithArg.isEmpty() )
         {
             suCommandWithArg << QStringLiteral("kdesu") << QStringLiteral("-t");