diff --git a/src/tools/qdoc/main.cpp b/src/tools/qdoc/main.cpp
index cb1b890cdd..3833cbb5dd 100644
--- a/src/tools/qdoc/main.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/qdoc/main.cpp
@@ -342,9 +342,11 @@ static void processQdocconfFile(const QString &fileName)
 
     qdb->clearSearchOrder();
     if (!Generator::singleExec()) {
-        Generator::debug("  loading index files");
-        loadIndexFiles(config);
-        Generator::debug("  done loading index files");
+        if (!Generator::preparing()) {
+            Generator::debug("  loading index files");
+            loadIndexFiles(config);
+            Generator::debug("  done loading index files");
+        }
         qdb->newPrimaryTree(project);
     }
     else if (Generator::preparing())