New console app build fails with "missing separator" error

I suddenly cannot build a newly created Console Application. I get "missing separator. stop" (I name the app copy-file but it is empty as created by the template). Following is the compiler output. I am able to build and run from command line by typing make but I cannot run inside Qt Creator. How do I reconfigure? Thank you.

15:06:31: Running steps for project copy-file...

15:06:31: Starting: "/home/tom/Qt/5.11.1/gcc_64/bin/qmake" /home/tom/projects/qt/copy-file/copy-file.pro -spec linux-g++ CONFIG+=debug CONFIG+=qml_debug

15:06:31: The process "/home/tom/Qt/5.11.1/gcc_64/bin/qmake" exited normally.

15:06:31: Starting: "/usr/bin/make" qmake_all

Makefile:39: *** missing separator. Stop.

15:06:31: The process "/usr/bin/make" exited with code 2.

Error while building/deploying project copy-file (kit: Desktop Qt 5.11.1 GCC 64bit)

When executing step "qmake"

15:06:31: Elapsed time: 00:00.