diff --git a/plugins/org.eclipse.dd.gdb/src/org/eclipse/dd/gdb/internal/provisional/launching/FinalLaunchSequence.java b/plugins/org.eclipse.dd.gdb/src/org/eclipse/dd/gdb/internal/provisional/launching/FinalLaunchSequence.java
index 6d68d6cdc5e..b6e345bca81 100644
--- a/plugins/org.eclipse.dd.gdb/src/org/eclipse/dd/gdb/internal/provisional/launching/FinalLaunchSequence.java
+++ b/plugins/org.eclipse.dd.gdb/src/org/eclipse/dd/gdb/internal/provisional/launching/FinalLaunchSequence.java
@@ -76,9 +76,15 @@ public class FinalLaunchSequence extends Sequence {
         		boolean useTerminal = fLaunch.getLaunchConfiguration().getAttribute(ICDTLaunchConfigurationConstants.ATTR_USE_TERMINAL, true);
         		
         		if (useTerminal) {
+        			String pytName = fCommandControl.getPtyName();
+        			if ( pytName != null ) {
             		fCommandControl.queueCommand(
-         				new MIInferiorTTYSet(fCommandControl.getControlDMContext(), fCommandControl.getPtyName()), 
+         				new MIInferiorTTYSet(fCommandControl.getControlDMContext(), pytName), 
      					new DataRequestMonitor<MIInfo>(getExecutor(), requestMonitor));
+        			}
+        			else {
+        				requestMonitor.done();
+        			}
         		} else {
         			requestMonitor.done();
         		}
diff --git a/plugins/org.eclipse.dd.gdb/src/org/eclipse/dd/gdb/internal/provisional/service/command/GDBControl.java b/plugins/org.eclipse.dd.gdb/src/org/eclipse/dd/gdb/internal/provisional/service/command/GDBControl.java
index ec3c3432c03..49cd3bcff93 100644
--- a/plugins/org.eclipse.dd.gdb/src/org/eclipse/dd/gdb/internal/provisional/service/command/GDBControl.java
+++ b/plugins/org.eclipse.dd.gdb/src/org/eclipse/dd/gdb/internal/provisional/service/command/GDBControl.java
@@ -263,7 +263,12 @@ public class GDBControl extends AbstractMIControl {
     }
     
     public String getPtyName() {
-    	return fPty.getSlaveName();
+    	if ( fPty != null ) {
+    		return fPty.getSlaveName();
+    	}
+    	else {
+    		return null;
+    	}
     }
         
     @DsfServiceEventHandler