diff --git a/projectbuilders/cmakebuilder/cmakebuilder.h b/projectbuilders/cmakebuilder/cmakebuilder.h
--- a/projectbuilders/cmakebuilder/cmakebuilder.h
+++ b/projectbuilders/cmakebuilder/cmakebuilder.h
@@ -60,6 +60,9 @@
 
 //     bool updateConfig( KDevelop::IProject* project );
 
+    static const QStringList & supportedGenerators();
+    static QString defaultGenerator();
+
     int configPages() const override;
     KDevelop::ConfigPage* configPage(int number, QWidget* parent) override;
 
diff --git a/projectbuilders/cmakebuilder/cmakebuilder.cpp b/projectbuilders/cmakebuilder/cmakebuilder.cpp
--- a/projectbuilders/cmakebuilder/cmakebuilder.cpp
+++ b/projectbuilders/cmakebuilder/cmakebuilder.cpp
@@ -73,13 +73,26 @@
     QString m_error;
 };
 
+static QStringList generatorNames;
+
 CMakeBuilder::CMakeBuilder(QObject *parent, const QVariantList &)
     : KDevelop::IPlugin("kdevcmakebuilder", parent)
 {
     KDEV_USE_EXTENSION_INTERFACE( KDevelop::IProjectBuilder )
 
     addBuilder("Makefile", QStringList("Unix Makefiles") << "NMake Makefiles", core()->pluginController()->pluginForExtension("org.kdevelop.IMakeBuilder"));
     addBuilder("build.ninja", QStringList("Ninja"), core()->pluginController()->pluginForExtension("org.kdevelop.IProjectBuilder", "KDevNinjaBuilder"));
+
+    bool hasNinja = KDevelop::ICore::self()->pluginController()->pluginForExtension("org.kdevelop.IProjectBuilder", "KDevNinjaBuilder");
+    if (hasNinja)
+        generatorNames << "Ninja";
+
+#ifdef Q_OS_WIN
+    // Visual Studio solution is the standard generator under windows, but we dont want to use
+    // the VS IDE, so we need nmake makefiles
+    generatorNames << "NMake Makefiles";
+#endif
+    generatorNames << "Unix Makefiles";
 }
 
 CMakeBuilder::~CMakeBuilder()
@@ -249,7 +262,7 @@
     }
     //It means that it still has to be generated, so use the builder for
     //the generator we use
-    return m_buildersForGenerator[CMakeBuilderSettings::self()->generator()];
+    return m_buildersForGenerator[defaultGenerator()];
 }
 
 QList< KDevelop::IProjectBuilder* > CMakeBuilder::additionalBuilderPlugins( KDevelop::IProject* project  ) const
@@ -266,6 +279,24 @@
     return 1;
 }
 
+const QStringList & CMakeBuilder::supportedGenerators()
+{
+    return generatorNames;
+}
+
+QString CMakeBuilder::defaultGenerator()
+{
+    QString defGen = generatorNames.value(CMakeBuilderSettings::self()->generator());
+    if (defGen.isEmpty())
+    {
+        qWarning() << "Couldn't find builder with index " << CMakeBuilderSettings::self()->generator()
+                   << ", defaulting to 0";
+        CMakeBuilderSettings::self()->setGenerator(0);
+        defGen = generatorNames.at(0);
+    }
+    return defGen;
+}
+
 KDevelop::ConfigPage* CMakeBuilder::configPage(int number, QWidget* parent)
 {
     if (number == 0) {
diff --git a/projectbuilders/cmakebuilder/cmakebuilderconfig.kcfg b/projectbuilders/cmakebuilder/cmakebuilderconfig.kcfg
--- a/projectbuilders/cmakebuilder/cmakebuilderconfig.kcfg
+++ b/projectbuilders/cmakebuilder/cmakebuilderconfig.kcfg
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@
     <entry name="cmakeExe" key="cmakeExe" type="String">
         <default></default>
     </entry>
-    <entry name="generator" key="generator" type="String">
-        <default>Unix Makefiles</default>
+    <entry name="generator" key="generator" type="Int">
+        <default>0</default>
     </entry>
   </group>
 </kcfg>
diff --git a/projectbuilders/cmakebuilder/cmakebuilderpreferences.h b/projectbuilders/cmakebuilder/cmakebuilderpreferences.h
--- a/projectbuilders/cmakebuilder/cmakebuilderpreferences.h
+++ b/projectbuilders/cmakebuilder/cmakebuilderpreferences.h
@@ -44,9 +44,6 @@
     void reset() override;
     void defaults() override;
 
-public slots:
-    void generatorChanged(const QString& generator);
-
 private:
     Ui::CMakeBuilderPreferences* m_prefsUi;
 };
diff --git a/projectbuilders/cmakebuilder/cmakebuilderpreferences.cpp b/projectbuilders/cmakebuilder/cmakebuilderpreferences.cpp
--- a/projectbuilders/cmakebuilder/cmakebuilderpreferences.cpp
+++ b/projectbuilders/cmakebuilder/cmakebuilderpreferences.cpp
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include <interfaces/iplugincontroller.h>
 
 #include "ui_cmakebuilderpreferences.h"
+#include "cmakebuilder.h"
 #include "cmakebuilderconfig.h"
 #include "cmakeutils.h"
 
@@ -39,21 +40,11 @@
     l->addWidget( w );
 
 #ifdef Q_OS_WIN
-    // Visual Studio solution is the standard generator under windows, but we dont want to use
-    // the VS IDE, so we need nmake makefiles
-    m_prefsUi->kcfg_generator->addItem("NMake Makefiles");
-    static_cast<KConfigSkeleton::ItemString *>(CMakeBuilderSettings::self()->findItem("generator"))->setDefaultValue("NMake Makefiles");
-
     m_prefsUi->kcfg_cmakeExe->setFilter("*.exe");
-#else
-    m_prefsUi->kcfg_generator->addItem("Unix Makefiles");
 #endif
 
-    bool hasNinja = KDevelop::ICore::self()->pluginController()->pluginForExtension("org.kdevelop.IProjectBuilder", "KDevNinjaBuilder");
-    if(hasNinja)
-        m_prefsUi->kcfg_generator->addItem("Ninja");
-
-    connect(m_prefsUi->kcfg_generator, static_cast<void(QComboBox::*)(const QString&)>(&QComboBox::currentIndexChanged), this, &CMakeBuilderPreferences::generatorChanged);
+    for(const QString & g : CMakeBuilder::supportedGenerators())
+        m_prefsUi->kcfg_generator->addItem(g);
 }
 
 CMakeBuilderPreferences::~CMakeBuilderPreferences()
@@ -63,31 +54,20 @@
 
 void CMakeBuilderPreferences::defaults()
 {
-    m_prefsUi->kcfg_generator->setCurrentIndex(0);
     KDevelop::ConfigPage::defaults();
 }
 
 void CMakeBuilderPreferences::apply()
 {
-    CMakeBuilderSettings::setGenerator(m_prefsUi->kcfg_generator->currentText());
-    KDevelop::ConfigPage::apply();
     CMakeBuilderSettings::self()->save();
+    KDevelop::ConfigPage::apply();
 }
 
 void CMakeBuilderPreferences::reset()
 {
-    int idx = m_prefsUi->kcfg_generator->findText(CMakeBuilderSettings::self()->generator());
-    m_prefsUi->kcfg_generator->setCurrentIndex(idx);
     KDevelop::ConfigPage::reset();
 }
 
-void CMakeBuilderPreferences::generatorChanged(const QString& generator)
-{
-    if (CMakeBuilderSettings::self()->generator() != generator) {
-        emit changed();
-    }
-}
-
 QString CMakeBuilderPreferences::name() const
 {
     return i18n("CMake");
diff --git a/projectbuilders/cmakebuilder/cmakebuilderpreferences.ui b/projectbuilders/cmakebuilder/cmakebuilderpreferences.ui
--- a/projectbuilders/cmakebuilder/cmakebuilderpreferences.ui
+++ b/projectbuilders/cmakebuilder/cmakebuilderpreferences.ui
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
    <item row="1" column="0">
     <widget class="QLabel" name="label2">
      <property name="text">
-      <string>Generator:</string>
+      <string>Default generator:</string>
      </property>
     </widget>
    </item>
diff --git a/projectbuilders/cmakebuilder/cmakejob.cpp b/projectbuilders/cmakebuilder/cmakejob.cpp
--- a/projectbuilders/cmakebuilder/cmakejob.cpp
+++ b/projectbuilders/cmakebuilder/cmakejob.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include "cmakejob.h"
 
 #include <cmakebuilderconfig.h>
+#include <cmakebuilder.h>
 
 #include <QtCore/QFile>
 #include <QtCore/QDir>
@@ -107,7 +108,7 @@
     QDir builddir(CMake::currentBuildDir( m_project ).toLocalFile());
     if(!builddir.exists() || builddir.count()==2) {
         CMakeBuilderSettings::self()->load();
-        args << QString("-G") << CMakeBuilderSettings::self()->generator();
+        args << QString("-G") << CMakeBuilder::defaultGenerator();
     }
     QString cmakeargs = CMake::currentExtraArguments( m_project );
     if( !cmakeargs.isEmpty() ) {