diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalNinjaGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmGlobalNinjaGenerator.cxx
index 8498e39e50..6e7c43a3bf 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalNinjaGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalNinjaGenerator.cxx
@@ -585,6 +585,15 @@ void cmGlobalNinjaGenerator::Generate()
   this->CloseBuildFileStream();
 }
 
+void cmGlobalNinjaGenerator::FindMakeProgram(cmMakefile* mf)
+{
+  this->cmGlobalGenerator::FindMakeProgram(mf);
+  if (const char* ninjaCommand = mf->GetDefinition("CMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM"))
+    {
+    this->NinjaCommand = ninjaCommand;
+    }
+}
+
 void cmGlobalNinjaGenerator
 ::EnableLanguage(std::vector<std::string>const& langs,
                  cmMakefile* mf,
@@ -1260,9 +1269,8 @@ std::string cmGlobalNinjaGenerator::ninjaCmd() const
 {
   cmLocalGenerator* lgen = this->LocalGenerators[0];
   if (lgen) {
-    return lgen->ConvertToOutputFormat(
-             lgen->GetMakefile()->GetRequiredDefinition("CMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM"),
-                                    cmLocalGenerator::SHELL);
+    return lgen->ConvertToOutputFormat(this->NinjaCommand,
+                                       cmLocalGenerator::SHELL);
   }
   return "ninja";
 }
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalNinjaGenerator.h b/Source/cmGlobalNinjaGenerator.h
index 7547f163b0..f22834076a 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalNinjaGenerator.h
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalNinjaGenerator.h
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ protected:
 
 private:
   virtual std::string GetEditCacheCommand() const;
-
+  virtual void FindMakeProgram(cmMakefile* mf);
 
   void OpenBuildFileStream();
   void CloseBuildFileStream();
@@ -392,6 +392,8 @@ private:
 
   typedef std::map<std::string, cmGeneratorTarget*> TargetAliasMap;
   TargetAliasMap TargetAliases;
+
+  std::string NinjaCommand;
 };
 
 #endif // ! cmGlobalNinjaGenerator_h