diff --git a/Source/cmLocalGenerator.h b/Source/cmLocalGenerator.h
index 3a9d5be80..d64ae0f80 100644
--- a/Source/cmLocalGenerator.h
+++ b/Source/cmLocalGenerator.h
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ public:
   std::string ConvertToOptionallyRelativeOutputPath(const std::string& remote);
 
   ///! set/get the parent generator
-  cmLocalGenerator* GetParent(){return this->Parent;}
+  cmLocalGenerator* GetParent() const {return this->Parent;}
   void SetParent(cmLocalGenerator* g) { this->Parent = g; g->AddChild(this); }
 
   ///! set/get the children
diff --git a/Source/cmLocalNinjaGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmLocalNinjaGenerator.cxx
index 413dc0f45..640c1b367 100644
--- a/Source/cmLocalNinjaGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmLocalNinjaGenerator.cxx
@@ -182,8 +182,7 @@ cmake* cmLocalNinjaGenerator::GetCMakeInstance()
 
 bool cmLocalNinjaGenerator::isRootMakefile() const
 {
-  return (strcmp(this->Makefile->GetCurrentDirectory(),
-                 this->GetCMakeInstance()->GetHomeDirectory()) == 0);
+  return !this->GetParent();
 }
 
 void cmLocalNinjaGenerator::WriteBuildFileTop()