diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 722644a..71064a4 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,13 @@
+2014-01-13 Riccardo Mottola <rm@gnu.org>
+
+	* Framework/PCFileManager.m
+	* Headers/ProjectCenter/PCFileManager.h
+	Convenience method to find executables, by Richard Frith-Macdonald
+
+	* Modules/Preferences/Build/PCBuildPrefs.m
+	* Modules/Preferences/Misc/PCMiscPrefs.m
+	Use the convenience method to determine better defaults for make and gdb.
+
 2013-12-17 Riccardo Mottola <rm@gnu.org>
 
 	* Framework/PCProjectLauncher.m
diff --git a/Modules/Preferences/Build/PCBuildPrefs.m b/Modules/Preferences/Build/PCBuildPrefs.m
index 3359bd7..92ff7d1 100644
--- a/Modules/Preferences/Build/PCBuildPrefs.m
+++ b/Modules/Preferences/Build/PCBuildPrefs.m
@@ -63,10 +63,6 @@
 
 - (void)dealloc
 {
-#ifdef DEBUG
-  NSLog (@"PCBuildPrefs: dealloc");
-#endif
-
   [[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] removeObserver:self];
 
   RELEASE(buildingView);
@@ -74,12 +70,28 @@
   [super dealloc];
 }
 
+
 // Protocol
 - (void)readPreferences
 {
-  NSString *val;
-  BOOL     bVal;
-  int      state;
+  NSString       *val;
+  BOOL           bVal;
+  int            state;
+  NSString       *buildToolDefault;
+  PCFileManager  *pcfm = [PCFileManager defaultManager];
+
+  /* some heuristic to find the best make default */
+  buildToolDefault = [pcfm findExecutableToolFrom:
+                           [NSArray arrayWithObjects:
+                                      @"usr/local/bin/gmake",
+                                    @"usr/bin/gmake",
+                                    @"usr/local/bin/make",
+                                    @"usr/bin/make",
+                                    @"bin/make",
+                                    nil]];
+
+
+  NSLog(@"Build tool found: %@", buildToolDefault);
 
   val = [prefs stringForKey:SuccessSound defaultValue:@""];
   [successField setStringValue:val];
@@ -89,8 +101,9 @@
   val = [prefs stringForKey:RootBuildDirectory defaultValue:@""];
   [rootBuildDirField setStringValue:val];
 
-  val = [prefs stringForKey:BuildTool defaultValue:PCDefaultBuildTool];
-  [buildToolField setStringValue:val];
+  val = [prefs stringForKey:BuildTool defaultValue:buildToolDefault];
+  if (val)
+    [buildToolField setStringValue:val];
 
   bVal = [prefs boolForKey:DeleteCacheWhenQuitting defaultValue:YES];
   state = bVal ? NSOnState : NSOffState;
diff --git a/Modules/Preferences/Misc/PCMiscPrefs.m b/Modules/Preferences/Misc/PCMiscPrefs.m
index c67ded0..7ecd726 100644
--- a/Modules/Preferences/Misc/PCMiscPrefs.m
+++ b/Modules/Preferences/Misc/PCMiscPrefs.m
@@ -63,10 +63,6 @@
 
 - (void)dealloc
 {
-#ifdef DEBUG
-  NSLog (@"PCMiscPrefs: dealloc");
-#endif
-
   [[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] removeObserver:self];
 
   RELEASE(miscView);
@@ -80,6 +76,17 @@
   NSString *val;
   BOOL     bVal;
   int      state;
+  NSString       *debuggerToolDefault;
+  PCFileManager  *pcfm = [PCFileManager defaultManager];
+
+  /* some heuristic to find the best debugger default */
+  debuggerToolDefault = [pcfm findExecutableToolFrom:
+                                [NSArray arrayWithObjects:
+                                      @"usr/local/bin/gdb",
+                                    @"usr/bin/gdb",
+                                    @"bin/gdb",
+                                    nil]];
+  NSLog(@"Debugger tool found: %@", debuggerToolDefault);
 
   bVal = [prefs boolForKey:PromptOnQuit defaultValue:YES];
   state = bVal ? NSOnState : NSOffState;
@@ -101,8 +108,9 @@
   state = bVal ? NSOnState : NSOffState;
   [useTearOffWindows setState:state];
 
-  val = [prefs stringForKey:Debugger defaultValue:PCDefaultDebugger];
-  [debuggerField setStringValue:val];
+  val = [prefs stringForKey:Debugger defaultValue:debuggerToolDefault];
+  if (val)
+    [debuggerField setStringValue:val];
 
   val = [prefs stringForKey:Editor defaultValue:@"ProjectCenter"];
   [editorField setStringValue:val];