diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/actions/ActionMessages.properties b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/actions/ActionMessages.properties
index 39ff2f61bf1..80978415d00 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/actions/ActionMessages.properties
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/actions/ActionMessages.properties
@@ -122,3 +122,7 @@ DeleteResConfigsAction.1=Delete resource configurations
 
 ExcludeFromBuildAction.0=Exclude object(s) from build in the following configurations
 ExcludeFromBuildAction.1=Exclude from build
+
+BuildActiveConfigMenuAction_defaultTooltip=Build the active configurations of selected projects
+BuildActiveConfigMenuAction_buildConfigTooltip =Build ''{0}'' for project ''{1}''
+
diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/ui/actions/BuildActiveConfigMenuAction.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/ui/actions/BuildActiveConfigMenuAction.java
index 7df97dc3345..48849ce5dc1 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/ui/actions/BuildActiveConfigMenuAction.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/ui/actions/BuildActiveConfigMenuAction.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*******************************************************************************
- * Copyright (c) 2007 Nokia and others.
+ * Copyright (c) 2007, 2008 Nokia and others.
  * All rights reserved. This program and the accompanying materials
  * are made available under the terms of the Eclipse Public License v1.0
  * which accompanies this distribution, and is available at
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@
  *******************************************************************************/
 package org.eclipse.cdt.ui.actions;
 
+import java.util.Iterator;
+
+import org.eclipse.core.resources.IProject;
 import org.eclipse.core.resources.IncrementalProjectBuilder;
 import org.eclipse.jface.action.IAction;
 import org.eclipse.jface.viewers.ISelection;
@@ -22,6 +25,14 @@ import org.eclipse.ui.IWorkbenchWindow;
 import org.eclipse.ui.IWorkbenchWindowPulldownDelegate2;
 import org.eclipse.ui.actions.BuildAction;
 
+import org.eclipse.cdt.core.model.CoreModel;
+import org.eclipse.cdt.core.settings.model.CProjectDescriptionEvent;
+import org.eclipse.cdt.core.settings.model.ICProjectDescription;
+import org.eclipse.cdt.core.settings.model.ICProjectDescriptionListener;
+import org.eclipse.cdt.core.settings.model.ICProjectDescriptionManager;
+
+import org.eclipse.cdt.internal.ui.actions.ActionMessages;
+
 /**
  * Implements a toolbar button that builds the active configuration
  * of selected projects. Also includes a menu that builds any of the
@@ -29,9 +40,10 @@ import org.eclipse.ui.actions.BuildAction;
  *
  */
 public class BuildActiveConfigMenuAction extends ChangeBuildConfigActionBase
-		implements IWorkbenchWindowPulldownDelegate2 {
+		implements IWorkbenchWindowPulldownDelegate2, ICProjectDescriptionListener {
 
 	private BuildAction buildaction;
+	private IAction actionMenuCache; // cache the menu action so we can update the tool tip when the configuration changes
 
 	/**
 	 * @see org.eclipse.ui.IWorkbenchWindowPulldownDelegate2#getMenu(org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Menu)
@@ -55,14 +67,17 @@ public class BuildActiveConfigMenuAction extends ChangeBuildConfigActionBase
 	 * @see org.eclipse.ui.IWorkbenchWindowActionDelegate#dispose()
 	 */
 	public void dispose() {
-		// do nothing
+		ICProjectDescriptionManager mngr = CoreModel.getDefault().getProjectDescriptionManager();
+		mngr.removeCProjectDescriptionListener(this);
 	}
 
 	/**
 	 * @see org.eclipse.ui.IWorkbenchWindowActionDelegate#init(org.eclipse.ui.IWorkbenchWindow)
 	 */
 	public void init(IWorkbenchWindow window) {
-		buildaction = new BuildAction(window.getShell(), IncrementalProjectBuilder.INCREMENTAL_BUILD);
+		buildaction = new BuildAction(window, IncrementalProjectBuilder.INCREMENTAL_BUILD);
+		ICProjectDescriptionManager mngr = CoreModel.getDefault().getProjectDescriptionManager();
+		mngr.addCProjectDescriptionListener(this, CProjectDescriptionEvent.DATA_APPLIED);
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -77,11 +92,15 @@ public class BuildActiveConfigMenuAction extends ChangeBuildConfigActionBase
 	 * @see org.eclipse.ui.IActionDelegate#selectionChanged(org.eclipse.jface.action.IAction, org.eclipse.jface.viewers.ISelection)
 	 */
 	public void selectionChanged(IAction action, ISelection selection) {
+		if (actionMenuCache == null){
+			actionMenuCache = action;
+		}
 		onSelectionChanged(action, selection);
+		updateBuildConfigMenuToolTip(action);
 	}
 	
 	/**
-	 * Adds a listener to the given menu to repopulate it each time is is shown
+	 * Adds a listener to the given menu to re-populate it each time is is shown
 	 * @param menu The menu to add listener to
 	 */
 	private void addMenuListener(Menu menu) {
@@ -95,5 +114,32 @@ public class BuildActiveConfigMenuAction extends ChangeBuildConfigActionBase
 	protected IAction makeAction(String sName, StringBuffer builder, int accel) {
 		return new BuildConfigAction(fProjects, sName, builder.toString(), accel + 1, buildaction);
 	}
+	
+	/**
+	 * Update the tool tip based on the currently selected project and active configuration.
+	 * @param action - The build configuration menu to change the tool tip on
+	 */
+	public void updateBuildConfigMenuToolTip(IAction action){
+		String toolTipText = ActionMessages.getString("BuildActiveConfigMenuAction_defaultTooltip"); //$NON-NLS-1$
+		if (fProjects.size() == 1) {
+			Iterator projIter = fProjects.iterator();
+			IProject prj = (IProject)projIter.next();
+			if (prj != null){
+				ICProjectDescription prjd = CoreModel.getDefault().getProjectDescription(prj, false);
+				if (prjd != null) {
+					toolTipText = ActionMessages.getFormattedString(
+									"BuildActiveConfigMenuAction_buildConfigTooltip", //$NON-NLS-1$
+									new Object[] { prjd.getActiveConfiguration().getName(), prj.getName() });
+				}
+			}
+		}
+		action.setToolTipText(toolTipText);
+	}
+
+	public void handleEvent(CProjectDescriptionEvent event) {
+		if (actionMenuCache != null){
+			updateBuildConfigMenuToolTip(actionMenuCache);
+		}
+	}
 
 }