diff --git a/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.multicorevisualizer.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/gdb/multicorevisualizer/internal/ui/actions/PinToDebugSessionAction.java b/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.multicorevisualizer.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/gdb/multicorevisualizer/internal/ui/actions/PinToDebugSessionAction.java
index e1a01e2b2d8..2b96e991992 100644
--- a/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.multicorevisualizer.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/gdb/multicorevisualizer/internal/ui/actions/PinToDebugSessionAction.java
+++ b/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.multicorevisualizer.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/gdb/multicorevisualizer/internal/ui/actions/PinToDebugSessionAction.java
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
  *
  * Contributors:
  *     Marc Dumais (Ericsson) - Initial API and implementation (Bug 441713)
+ *     Marc Dumais (Ericsson) - Bug 442312
  *******************************************************************************/
 
 package org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.multicorevisualizer.internal.ui.actions;
@@ -72,5 +73,7 @@ public class PinToDebugSessionAction extends VisualizerAction {
 		else {
 			m_visualizer.unpin();
 		}
+		// update the toolbar
+		m_visualizer.raiseVisualizerChangedEvent();
 	}
 }
diff --git a/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.multicorevisualizer.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/gdb/multicorevisualizer/internal/ui/view/MulticoreVisualizer.java b/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.multicorevisualizer.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/gdb/multicorevisualizer/internal/ui/view/MulticoreVisualizer.java
index f4509f2de14..6ebfcda6c6d 100755
--- a/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.multicorevisualizer.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/gdb/multicorevisualizer/internal/ui/view/MulticoreVisualizer.java
+++ b/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.multicorevisualizer.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/gdb/multicorevisualizer/internal/ui/view/MulticoreVisualizer.java
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
  *     Marc Dumais (Ericsson) - Bug 409965
  *     Xavier Raynaud (kalray) - Bug 431935
  *     Marc Dumais (Ericsson) - Bug 441713
+ *     Marc Dumais (Ericsson) - Bug 442312
  *******************************************************************************/
 
 package org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.multicorevisualizer.internal.ui.view;
@@ -606,16 +607,21 @@ public class MulticoreVisualizer extends GraphicCanvasVisualizer
 		// initialize menu/toolbar actions, if needed
 		createActions();
 
-		toolBarManager.add(m_resumeAction);
-		toolBarManager.add(m_suspendAction);
-		toolBarManager.add(m_terminateAction);
-		
-		toolBarManager.add(m_separatorAction);
-		
-		toolBarManager.add(m_stepReturnAction);
-		toolBarManager.add(m_stepOverAction);
-		toolBarManager.add(m_stepIntoAction);
-		toolBarManager.add(m_dropToFrameAction);
+		// display debug buttons only if MV is not pinned
+		// note: if in the future we want to display the debug buttons even 
+		// when pinned, all that needs to be done it to remove this check.
+		if (!m_pinToDbgSessionAction.isChecked()) {
+			toolBarManager.add(m_resumeAction);
+			toolBarManager.add(m_suspendAction);
+			toolBarManager.add(m_terminateAction);
+
+			toolBarManager.add(m_separatorAction);
+
+			toolBarManager.add(m_stepReturnAction);
+			toolBarManager.add(m_stepOverAction);
+			toolBarManager.add(m_stepIntoAction);
+			toolBarManager.add(m_dropToFrameAction);
+		}
 		toolBarManager.add(m_pinToDbgSessionAction);
 		
 		updateActions();
@@ -809,6 +815,18 @@ public class MulticoreVisualizer extends GraphicCanvasVisualizer
 		m_canvas.requestUpdate();
 	}
 	
+	
+	/** Updates the UI elements such as the toolbar and context menu */
+	public void raiseVisualizerChangedEvent() {
+		// FIXME: replace hack below by raising a new VisualizerChanged
+		// event, listened-to by VisualizerViewer, that causes it to raise
+		// its own VISUALIZER_CHANGED event. See bug 442584 for details
+		
+		// for now do a non-change to the selection to trigger a call to 
+		// VisualizerView#updateUI()
+		setSelection(getSelection());
+	}
+	
 
 	// --- ISelectionChangedListener implementation ---