diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/core/dom/IPDOMIndexerTask.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/core/dom/IPDOMIndexerTask.java
index dae6d7e7db1..2304a20549f 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/core/dom/IPDOMIndexerTask.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/core/dom/IPDOMIndexerTask.java
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
  */
 package org.eclipse.cdt.core.dom;
 
+import org.eclipse.cdt.core.CCorePlugin;
 import org.eclipse.core.runtime.IProgressMonitor;
 
 
@@ -22,7 +23,10 @@ import org.eclipse.core.runtime.IProgressMonitor;
  *
  */
 public interface IPDOMIndexerTask {
-
+	public static final String TRACE_ACTIVITY   = CCorePlugin.PLUGIN_ID + "/debug/indexer/activity";  //$NON-NLS-1$
+	public static final String TRACE_STATISTICS = CCorePlugin.PLUGIN_ID + "/debug/indexer/statistics";  //$NON-NLS-1$
+	public static final String TRACE_PROBLEMS   = CCorePlugin.PLUGIN_ID + "/debug/indexer/problems";  //$NON-NLS-1$
+	
 	/**
 	 * Run the sub job progress to the main job.
 	 * 
diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/pdom/indexer/PDOMIndexerTask.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/pdom/indexer/PDOMIndexerTask.java
index c56edbcc7fb..6f79c03fd0d 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/pdom/indexer/PDOMIndexerTask.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/pdom/indexer/PDOMIndexerTask.java
@@ -115,14 +115,15 @@ public abstract class PDOMIndexerTask implements IPDOMIndexerTask {
 	private int fProblemBindingCount= 0;
 
 	protected PDOMIndexerTask() {
-		fShowActivity= checkDebugOption("indexer/activity", "true");  //$NON-NLS-1$//$NON-NLS-2$
-		fShowStatistics= checkDebugOption("indexer/statistics", "true");  //$NON-NLS-1$//$NON-NLS-2$
-		fShowProblems= checkDebugOption("indexer/problems", "true");  //$NON-NLS-1$//$NON-NLS-2$
+		fShowActivity= checkDebugOption(TRACE_ACTIVITY, "true");  //$NON-NLS-1$
+		fShowStatistics= checkDebugOption(TRACE_STATISTICS, "true");  //$NON-NLS-1$
+		fShowProblems= checkDebugOption(TRACE_PROBLEMS, "true");  //$NON-NLS-1$
 	}
 
 	private boolean checkDebugOption(String option, String value) {
-		String trace = Platform.getDebugOption(CCorePlugin.PLUGIN_ID + "/debug/" + option);  //$NON-NLS-1$
-		return (trace != null && trace.equalsIgnoreCase(value));
+		String trace= Platform.getDebugOption(option); 
+		boolean internallyActivated= Boolean.getBoolean(option);
+		return internallyActivated || (trace != null && trace.equalsIgnoreCase(value));
 	}
 
 	protected void processDelta(ICElementDelta delta, Collection added, Collection changed, Collection removed,