diff --git a/qmake/generators/projectgenerator.cpp b/qmake/generators/projectgenerator.cpp
index 1e5bab669c1..16d1c7109b7 100644
--- a/qmake/generators/projectgenerator.cpp
+++ b/qmake/generators/projectgenerator.cpp
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ ProjectGenerator::init()
 
     project->read(QMakeProject::ReadFeatures);
     project->values("CONFIG").clear();
+    Option::postProcessProject(project);
 
     QHash<QString, QStringList> &v = project->variables();
     QString templ = Option::user_template.isEmpty() ? QString("app") : Option::user_template;
diff --git a/qmake/project.cpp b/qmake/project.cpp
index 61140e9acbf..3379f452a31 100644
--- a/qmake/project.cpp
+++ b/qmake/project.cpp
@@ -1518,6 +1518,12 @@ QMakeProject::read(uchar cmd)
         vars = base_vars; // start with the base
       }
         setupProject();
+    } else if (cmd & ReadFeatures) {
+        // Even when ReadSetup is not set, but ReadFeatures is,
+        // we still need to process spec_pre.prf to load some
+        // default values and other settings.
+        debug_msg(1, "Processing spec_pre (but skipping actual spec): %s", vars["CONFIG"].join("::").toLatin1().constData());
+        doProjectInclude("spec_pre", IncludeFlagFeature, vars);
     }
 
     for (QHash<QString, QStringList>::ConstIterator it = extra_vars.constBegin();