diff --git a/build/org.eclipse.cdt.managedbuilder.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/managedbuilder/makegen/gnu/GnuMakefileGenerator.java b/build/org.eclipse.cdt.managedbuilder.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/managedbuilder/makegen/gnu/GnuMakefileGenerator.java
index bc69872d715..bddefbb1c90 100644
--- a/build/org.eclipse.cdt.managedbuilder.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/managedbuilder/makegen/gnu/GnuMakefileGenerator.java
+++ b/build/org.eclipse.cdt.managedbuilder.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/managedbuilder/makegen/gnu/GnuMakefileGenerator.java
@@ -1296,7 +1296,7 @@ public class GnuMakefileGenerator implements IManagedBuilderMakefileGenerator2 {
 		// If this configuration produces a static archive, building the archive doesn't depend on the output
 		// from any of the referenced configurations
 		IConfiguration[] refConfigs = new IConfiguration[0];
-		if (!ManagedBuildManager.BUILD_ARTEFACT_TYPE_PROPERTY_STATICLIB.equals(config.getBuildArtefactType().getId()))
+		if (config.getBuildArtefactType() == null || !ManagedBuildManager.BUILD_ARTEFACT_TYPE_PROPERTY_STATICLIB.equals(config.getBuildArtefactType().getId()))
 			refConfigs = ManagedBuildManager.getReferencedConfigurations(config);
 
 /*		try {