diff --git a/dsf/org.eclipse.cdt.examples.dsf.pda/src/org/eclipse/cdt/examples/dsf/pda/service/PDARunControl.java b/dsf/org.eclipse.cdt.examples.dsf.pda/src/org/eclipse/cdt/examples/dsf/pda/service/PDARunControl.java
index 65882bfb56f..a15977bd412 100644
--- a/dsf/org.eclipse.cdt.examples.dsf.pda/src/org/eclipse/cdt/examples/dsf/pda/service/PDARunControl.java
+++ b/dsf/org.eclipse.cdt.examples.dsf.pda/src/org/eclipse/cdt/examples/dsf/pda/service/PDARunControl.java
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ public class PDARunControl extends AbstractDsfService
     private boolean fVMResumePending = false;
     private boolean fVMSuspendPending = false;
 	private boolean fVMStepping = false;
-	private StateChangeReason fVMStateChangeReason;
+	private StateChangeReason fVMStateChangeReason = StateChangeReason.UNKNOWN;
 	
 	// Threads' state data 
     private static class ThreadInfo {