diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/model/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/settings/model/CProjectDescriptionManager.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/model/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/settings/model/CProjectDescriptionManager.java
index 7ac436fb38f..527ff7e819e 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/model/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/settings/model/CProjectDescriptionManager.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/model/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/settings/model/CProjectDescriptionManager.java
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ public class CProjectDescriptionManager implements ICProjectDescriptionManager {
 	/** Set of Listeners listening for Project Description Deltas */
 	private Set<ListenerDescriptor> fListeners = new CopyOnWriteArraySet<ListenerDescriptor>();
 	private Map<String, CConfigurationDescriptionCache> fPreferenceMap = new HashMap<String, CConfigurationDescriptionCache>();
-	private CConfigBasedDescriptorManager fDescriptorManager;
+	private volatile CConfigBasedDescriptorManager fDescriptorManager;
 	private ResourceChangeHandler fRcChangeHandler;
 	private CProjectDescriptionWorkspacePreferences fPreferences;
 	private boolean fAllowEmptyCreatingDescription = true; // allowed by default
diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/core/CCorePlugin.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/core/CCorePlugin.java
index 64158d729e3..01aaa032987 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/core/CCorePlugin.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/core/CCorePlugin.java
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ public class CCorePlugin extends Plugin {
 	 */
     public CDTLogWriter cdtLog = null;
 
-	private CProjectDescriptionManager fNewCProjectDescriptionManager;
+	private volatile CProjectDescriptionManager fNewCProjectDescriptionManager;
 
 	private CoreModel fCoreModel;