diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/model/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/language/settings/providers/LanguageSettingsProvidersSerializer.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/model/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/language/settings/providers/LanguageSettingsProvidersSerializer.java
index 03895b892b3..d7ea664574b 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/model/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/language/settings/providers/LanguageSettingsProvidersSerializer.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/model/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/language/settings/providers/LanguageSettingsProvidersSerializer.java
@@ -788,7 +788,7 @@ public class LanguageSettingsProvidersSerializer {
 
 			String[] defaultIds = ((ILanguageSettingsProvidersKeeper) cfgDescription).getDefaultLanguageSettingsProvidersIds();
 			if (defaultIds == null) {
-				defaultIds = new String[0];
+				defaultIds = ScannerDiscoveryLegacySupport.getDefaultProviderIdsLegacy(cfgDescription);
 			}
 
 			// check size