diff --git a/lib/importproject.cpp b/lib/importproject.cpp
index 2c684ca33..08ec3c672 100644
--- a/lib/importproject.cpp
+++ b/lib/importproject.cpp
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ ImportProject::Type ImportProject::import(const std::string &filename, Settings
     } else if (endsWith(filename, ".bpr", 4)) {
         importBcb6Prj(filename);
         return ImportProject::Type::BORLAND;
-    } else if (endsWith(filename, ".cppcheck", 9)) {
+    } else if (settings && endsWith(filename, ".cppcheck", 9)) {
         return importCppcheckGuiProject(fin, settings) ? ImportProject::Type::CPPCHECK_GUI : ImportProject::Type::MISSING;
     }
     return ImportProject::Type::UNKNOWN;
diff --git a/lib/importproject.h b/lib/importproject.h
index de07b9102..90952f6ba 100644
--- a/lib/importproject.h
+++ b/lib/importproject.h
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ public:
     void ignoreOtherConfigs(const std::string &cfg);
     void ignoreOtherPlatforms(cppcheck::Platform::PlatformType platformType);
 
-    Type import(const std::string &filename, Settings *settings);
+    Type import(const std::string &filename, Settings *settings=nullptr);
 protected:
     void importCompileCommands(std::istream &istr);
     bool importCppcheckGuiProject(std::istream &istr, Settings *settings);