diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/preferences/formatter/FormatterProfileManager.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/preferences/formatter/FormatterProfileManager.java
index 9b7b470a9b7..99d3297ee31 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/preferences/formatter/FormatterProfileManager.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/preferences/formatter/FormatterProfileManager.java
@@ -124,6 +124,9 @@ public class FormatterProfileManager extends ProfileManager {
      */
     @Override
 	public Profile getDefaultProfile() {
+    	Profile p = super.getDefaultProfile();
+    	if (p != null)
+    		return p;
 	    return getProfile(DEFAULT_PROFILE);
     }
     
diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/preferences/formatter/ProfileManager.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/preferences/formatter/ProfileManager.java
index 9aae8a88ece..5f0fd1dd5bc 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/preferences/formatter/ProfileManager.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/preferences/formatter/ProfileManager.java
@@ -798,7 +798,12 @@ public abstract class ProfileManager extends Observable {
 		}
 	}
 
-    public abstract Profile getDefaultProfile();
+	/**
+	 * @return Default scoped profile or null
+	 */
+    public Profile getDefaultProfile() {
+		return getProfile(fPreferencesAccess.getDefaultScope().getNode(CUIPlugin.PLUGIN_ID).get(fProfileKey, "")); //$NON-NLS-1$
+    }
 
 	public IProfileVersioner getProfileVersioner() {
     	return fProfileVersioner;