diff --git a/build/org.eclipse.cdt.make.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/make/internal/core/MakeTarget.java b/build/org.eclipse.cdt.make.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/make/internal/core/MakeTarget.java
index 4a365e924f3..ec5339a5061 100644
--- a/build/org.eclipse.cdt.make.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/make/internal/core/MakeTarget.java
+++ b/build/org.eclipse.cdt.make.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/make/internal/core/MakeTarget.java
@@ -125,7 +125,9 @@ public class MakeTarget implements IMakeTarget {
 		info.setStopOnError(isStopOnError);
 		info.setFullBuildEnable(true);
 		info.setFullBuildTarget(target);
-		info.setBuildLocation(container.getLocation());
+		if ( container != null) {
+			info.setBuildLocation(container.getProjectRelativePath());
+		}
 		IMakeBuilderInfo projectInfo = MakeCorePlugin.createBuildInfo(project, builderID);
 		info.setErrorParsers(projectInfo.getErrorParsers());
 		project.build(IncrementalProjectBuilder.FULL_BUILD, builderID, infoMap, monitor);