diff --git a/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/core/DebugConfiguration.java b/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/core/DebugConfiguration.java
index ab4698dc85f..a3d3926ca99 100644
--- a/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/core/DebugConfiguration.java
+++ b/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/core/DebugConfiguration.java
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@ public class DebugConfiguration implements ICDebugConfiguration {
 	}
 
 	public String getName() {
-		return getConfigurationElement().getAttribute("name"); //$NON-NLS-1$
+		String name = getConfigurationElement().getAttribute("name"); //$NON-NLS-1$
+		return name != null ? name : "";
 	}
 
 	public String getID() {