diff --git a/build/org.eclipse.cdt.make.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/make/ui/MakeContentProvider.java b/build/org.eclipse.cdt.make.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/make/ui/MakeContentProvider.java
index 79bc55d686c..db78a25a74d 100644
--- a/build/org.eclipse.cdt.make.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/make/ui/MakeContentProvider.java
+++ b/build/org.eclipse.cdt.make.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/make/ui/MakeContentProvider.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*******************************************************************************
- * Copyright (c) 2000, 2013 QNX Software Systems and others.
+ * Copyright (c) 2000, 2017 QNX Software Systems 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
@@ -252,21 +252,23 @@ public class MakeContentProvider implements ITreeContentProvider, IMakeTargetLis
 				if (viewer == null || viewer.getControl() == null || viewer.getControl().isDisposed())
 					return;
 
-				int itemCount = 0;
-				if (viewer instanceof TreeViewer) {
-					itemCount = ((TreeViewer) viewer).getTree().getItemCount();
-				} else if (viewer instanceof TableViewer) {
-					itemCount = ((TableViewer) viewer).getTable().getItemCount();
-				}
-				if (itemCount <= 0) {
-					return;
-				}
-
+				// Get first item of the viewer
 				Object firstItem = null;
 				if (viewer instanceof TreeViewer) {
-					firstItem = ((TreeViewer) viewer).getTree().getItem(0).getData();
+					if( ((TreeViewer) viewer).getTree().getItemCount() <= 0) {
+						// No items yet, no refresh needed
+						return;
+					} else {
+						firstItem = ((TreeViewer) viewer).getTree().getItem(0).getData();
+					}
 				} else if (viewer instanceof TableViewer) {
-					firstItem = ((TableViewer) viewer).getTable().getItem(0).getData();
+					if( ((TableViewer) viewer).getTable().getItemCount() <= 0) {
+						// No items yet, refresh
+						viewer.refresh();
+						return;
+					} else {
+						firstItem = ((TableViewer) viewer).getTable().getItem(0).getData();
+					}
 				}
 
 				IContainer parentContainer = null;