diff --git a/java/java-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/projectRoots/impl/JavaHomeFinder.java b/java/java-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/projectRoots/impl/JavaHomeFinder.java
index b0f809f822a8..28a4316c4e1a 100644
--- a/java/java-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/projectRoots/impl/JavaHomeFinder.java
+++ b/java/java-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/projectRoots/impl/JavaHomeFinder.java
@@ -148,6 +148,8 @@ public abstract class JavaHomeFinder {
 
   private static class MacFinder extends DefaultFinder {
 
+    public static final String JAVA_HOME_FIND_UTIL = "/usr/libexec/java_home";
+
     MacFinder() {
       super("/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines", "/System/Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines");
     }
@@ -156,15 +158,44 @@ public abstract class JavaHomeFinder {
     @Override
     public List<String> findExistingJdks() {
       List<String> list = super.findExistingJdks();
-      if (new File("/usr/libexec/java_home").canExecute()) {
-        String path = ExecUtil.execAndReadLine(new GeneralCommandLine("/usr/libexec/java_home"));
-        if (path != null && new File(path).isDirectory()) {
-          list.add(path);
-        }
+      String defaultJavaHome = getSystemDefaultJavaHome();
+      if (defaultJavaHome != null) {
+        ArrayList<String> list2 = new ArrayList<>(list.size() + 1);
+        list2.add(defaultJavaHome);
+        list2.addAll(list);
+        list = list2;
       }
       return list;
     }
 
+    @Nullable
+    private String getSystemDefaultJavaHome() {
+      String homePath = null;
+      if (SystemInfo.isMacOSLeopard) {
+        // since version 10.5
+        if (canExecute(JAVA_HOME_FIND_UTIL)) homePath = ExecUtil.execAndReadLine(new GeneralCommandLine(JAVA_HOME_FIND_UTIL));
+      }
+      else {
+        // before version 10.5
+        homePath = "/Library/Java/Home";
+      }
+
+      return isDirectory(homePath) ? homePath : null;
+    }
+
+    private static boolean canExecute(@Nullable String filePath) {
+      if (filePath == null) return false;
+      File file = new File(filePath);
+      return file.canExecute();
+    }
+
+    private static boolean isDirectory(@Nullable String path) {
+      if (path == null) return false;
+      File dir = new File(path);
+      return dir.isDirectory();
+    }
+
+
     @Override
     protected File adjustPath(File file) {
       File home = new File(file, "/Home");