diff --git a/build/org.eclipse.cdt.make.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/make/core/makefile/IMakefile.java b/build/org.eclipse.cdt.make.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/make/core/makefile/IMakefile.java
index 048afc9fe34..e3181cf86e9 100644
--- a/build/org.eclipse.cdt.make.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/make/core/makefile/IMakefile.java
+++ b/build/org.eclipse.cdt.make.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/make/core/makefile/IMakefile.java
@@ -70,6 +70,20 @@ public interface IMakefile extends IParent {
 	 */
 	IMacroDefinition[] getBuiltinMacroDefinitions();
 
+	/**
+	 * Returning after expanding any macros.
+	 * @return String - expanded line
+	 */
+	String expandString(String line);
+
+	/**
+	 * Returning after expanding any macros.
+	 * @param String - line to expand
+	 * @param boolean -  if true recursively expand.
+	 * @return String - expanded line
+	 */
+	String expandString(String line, boolean recursive);
+
 	/**
 	 * Clear the all statements and (re)parse the Makefile
 	 * @param makefile
diff --git a/build/org.eclipse.cdt.make.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/make/internal/core/makefile/AbstractMakefile.java b/build/org.eclipse.cdt.make.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/make/internal/core/makefile/AbstractMakefile.java
index 7c4467080ee..b171e9f332a 100644
--- a/build/org.eclipse.cdt.make.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/make/internal/core/makefile/AbstractMakefile.java
+++ b/build/org.eclipse.cdt.make.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/make/internal/core/makefile/AbstractMakefile.java
@@ -176,4 +176,84 @@ public abstract class AbstractMakefile extends Parent implements IMakefile {
 		return (IInferenceRule[]) array.toArray(new IInferenceRule[0]);
 	}
 
+	public String expandString(String line) {
+		return expandString(line, false);
+	}
+
+	public String expandString(String line, boolean recursive) {
+		int len = line.length();
+		boolean foundDollar = false;
+		boolean inMacro = false;
+		StringBuffer buffer = new StringBuffer();
+		StringBuffer macroName = new StringBuffer();
+		for (int i = 0; i < len; i++) {
+			char c = line.charAt(i);
+			switch(c) {
+				case '$':
+					// '$$' --> '$'
+					if (foundDollar) {
+						buffer.append(c);
+						foundDollar = false;
+					} else {
+						foundDollar = true;
+					}
+					break;
+				case '(':
+				case '{':
+					if (foundDollar) {
+						inMacro = true;
+					} else {
+						buffer.append(c);
+					}
+					break;
+				case ')':
+				case '}':
+					if (inMacro) {
+						String name = macroName.toString();
+						if (name.length() > 0) {
+							IMacroDefinition[] defs = getMacroDefinition(name);
+							if (defs.length == 0) {
+								defs = getBuiltinMacroDefinition(name);
+							}
+							if (defs.length > 0) {
+								String result = defs[0].getValue().toString();
+								if (result.indexOf('$') != -1 && recursive) {
+									result = expandString(result, recursive);
+								}
+								buffer.append(result);
+							}
+						}
+						macroName.setLength(0);
+						inMacro = false;
+					} else {
+						buffer.append(c);
+					}
+					break;
+				default:
+					if (inMacro) {
+						macroName.append(c);
+					} else if (foundDollar) {
+						String name = String.valueOf(c);
+						IMacroDefinition[] defs = getMacroDefinition(name);
+						if (defs.length == 0) {
+							defs = getBuiltinMacroDefinition(name);
+						}
+						if (defs.length > 0) {
+							String result = defs[0].getValue().toString();
+							if (result.indexOf('$') != -1 && recursive) {
+								result = expandString(result, recursive);
+							}
+							buffer.append(result);
+						}
+						inMacro = false;
+					} else {
+						buffer.append(c);
+					}
+					foundDollar = false;
+					break;
+			}
+		}
+		return buffer.toString();
+	}
+
 }