diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/pdom/PDOMManager.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/pdom/PDOMManager.java
index 8466e9729df..e140d12ca0d 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/pdom/PDOMManager.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/pdom/PDOMManager.java
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ public class PDOMManager implements IWritableIndexManager, IListener {
 	}
 
 	public void setDefaultIndexerId(String indexerId) {
-		setIndexerId(null, indexerId);
+		IndexerPreferences.setDefaultIndexerId(indexerId);
 	}
 	
     public String getIndexerId(ICProject project) {
diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/pdom/indexer/IndexerPreferences.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/pdom/indexer/IndexerPreferences.java
index fb66a132a1e..37f5a0b4f1b 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/pdom/indexer/IndexerPreferences.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/pdom/indexer/IndexerPreferences.java
@@ -318,6 +318,10 @@ public class IndexerPreferences {
 		prefs.put(KEY_FILES_TO_PARSE_UP_FRONT, DEFAULT_FILES_TO_PARSE_UP_FRONT);
 	}
 
+	public static void setDefaultIndexerId(String defaultId) {
+		getDefaultPreferences().put(KEY_INDEXER_ID, defaultId);
+	}
+	
 	public static void addChangeListener(IProject prj, IPreferenceChangeListener pcl) {
 		Preferences node= getProjectPreferences(prj);
 		addListener(node, pcl);