diff --git a/dsf/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/debug/ui/viewmodel/numberformat/FormattedValueRetriever.java b/dsf/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/debug/ui/viewmodel/numberformat/FormattedValueRetriever.java
index f20b47b69af..f9f389c6885 100644
--- a/dsf/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/debug/ui/viewmodel/numberformat/FormattedValueRetriever.java
+++ b/dsf/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/debug/ui/viewmodel/numberformat/FormattedValueRetriever.java
@@ -560,11 +560,11 @@ public class FormattedValueRetriever {
             if (update.getProperties().contains(PROP_ACTIVE_FORMAT_VALUE) &&
                 format.equals(activeFormat)) 
             {
-                PropertiesUpdateStatus.makePropertiesStatus(update.getStatus()).setStatus(
+                PropertiesUpdateStatus.getPropertiesStatus(update).setStatus(
                     new String[] { PROP_ACTIVE_FORMAT_VALUE, formatProperty },
                     staleDataStatus);
             } else {
-                PropertiesUpdateStatus.makePropertiesStatus(update.getStatus()).setStatus(formatProperty, staleDataStatus);                
+                PropertiesUpdateStatus.getPropertiesStatus(update).setStatus(formatProperty, staleDataStatus);                
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/dsf/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/ui/viewmodel/properties/PropertiesUpdateStatus.java b/dsf/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/ui/viewmodel/properties/PropertiesUpdateStatus.java
index cce0ff6a59e..1d2fee8e723 100644
--- a/dsf/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/ui/viewmodel/properties/PropertiesUpdateStatus.java
+++ b/dsf/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/ui/viewmodel/properties/PropertiesUpdateStatus.java
@@ -198,6 +198,23 @@ public class PropertiesUpdateStatus extends DsfMultiStatus {
         return s1.getMessage().equals(s2.getMessage());
     };
 
+    /**
+     * Convenience method that returns and optionally creates a properties 
+     * update status object for the given update.
+     */
+    public static PropertiesUpdateStatus getPropertiesStatus(IPropertiesUpdate update) {
+        IStatus updateStatus = update.getStatus();
+        if (updateStatus instanceof PropertiesUpdateStatus) {
+            return (PropertiesUpdateStatus)updateStatus; 
+        } else {
+            PropertiesUpdateStatus propertiesStatus = new PropertiesUpdateStatus(); 
+            update.setStatus(propertiesStatus);
+            if (!updateStatus.isOK()) {
+                propertiesStatus.add(updateStatus);
+            }
+            return propertiesStatus;
+        }
+    }
     
     /**
      * Convenience method that returns and optionally creates a properties 
diff --git a/dsf/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/ui/viewmodel/properties/VMPropertiesUpdate.java b/dsf/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/ui/viewmodel/properties/VMPropertiesUpdate.java
index d02f3cbff86..05b615d1bea 100644
--- a/dsf/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/ui/viewmodel/properties/VMPropertiesUpdate.java
+++ b/dsf/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/ui/viewmodel/properties/VMPropertiesUpdate.java
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ public class VMPropertiesUpdate extends VMViewerUpdate implements IPropertiesUpd
         } else if ((getStatus() instanceof PropertiesUpdateStatus)) {
             ((PropertiesUpdateStatus)getStatus()).add(status);
         } else {
-            assert false : "VMPropertiesUpdate status should always be a PropertiesUpdateStatus";  //$NON-NLS-1$
+            assert getStatus().getSeverity() == IStatus.CANCEL : "VMPropertiesUpdate status should always be a PropertiesUpdateStatus unless update is canceled.";  //$NON-NLS-1$
         }
     }    
     
diff --git a/dsf/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/ui/viewmodel/update/AbstractCachingVMProvider.java b/dsf/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/ui/viewmodel/update/AbstractCachingVMProvider.java
index b0ad8e4bbe5..579bc6c18fe 100644
--- a/dsf/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/ui/viewmodel/update/AbstractCachingVMProvider.java
+++ b/dsf/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/ui/viewmodel/update/AbstractCachingVMProvider.java
@@ -1177,13 +1177,13 @@ public class AbstractCachingVMProvider extends AbstractVMProvider
                                 String missingProperty = itr.next();
                                 if ( !updatePolicyExt.canUpdateDirtyProperty(entry, missingProperty) ) {
                                     itr.remove();
-                                    PropertiesUpdateStatus.makePropertiesStatus(update.getStatus()).setStatus(
+                                    PropertiesUpdateStatus.getPropertiesStatus(update).setStatus(
                                         missingProperty, 
                                         DsfUIPlugin.newErrorStatus(IDsfStatusConstants.INVALID_STATE, "Cache contains stale data.  Refresh view.", null ));//$NON-NLS-1$                                    
                                 }
                             }
                         } else {
-                            PropertiesUpdateStatus.makePropertiesStatus(update.getStatus()).setStatus(
+                            PropertiesUpdateStatus.getPropertiesStatus(update).setStatus(
                                 missingProperties.toArray(new String[missingProperties.size()]), 
                                 DsfUIPlugin.newErrorStatus(IDsfStatusConstants.INVALID_STATE, "Cache contains stale data.  Refresh view.", null ));//$NON-NLS-1$                                    
                             missingProperties.clear();
diff --git a/dsf/org.eclipse.cdt.tests.dsf/src/org/eclipse/cdt/tests/dsf/vm/FormattedValueTests.java b/dsf/org.eclipse.cdt.tests.dsf/src/org/eclipse/cdt/tests/dsf/vm/FormattedValueTests.java
index 60d127311a7..e7abbd8ba42 100644
--- a/dsf/org.eclipse.cdt.tests.dsf/src/org/eclipse/cdt/tests/dsf/vm/FormattedValueTests.java
+++ b/dsf/org.eclipse.cdt.tests.dsf/src/org/eclipse/cdt/tests/dsf/vm/FormattedValueTests.java
@@ -233,7 +233,10 @@ abstract public class FormattedValueTests extends TestCase implements IViewerUpd
         while (!fViewerListener.isFinished(ALL_UPDATES_COMPLETE | PROPERTY_UPDATES) || !fVMListener.isFinished(CONTENT_UPDATES | PROPERTY_UPDATES)) 
             if (!fDisplay.readAndDispatch ()) fDisplay.sleep ();
 
-        validateModel(IFormattedValues.HEX_FORMAT, " (" + FormattedValueVMUtil.getFormatLabel(IFormattedValues.HEX_FORMAT) + ")");        
+        validateModel(IFormattedValues.HEX_FORMAT, 
+                      " (" + FormattedValueVMUtil.getFormatLabel(IFormattedValues.HEX_FORMAT) + ")", 
+                      DummyFormattedValueService.DUMMY_FORMAT, 
+                      " (" + DummyFormattedValueService.DUMMY_FORMAT + ")");        
     }
 
     /**
@@ -345,6 +348,10 @@ abstract public class FormattedValueTests extends TestCase implements IViewerUpd
     }
 
     private void validateModel(final String formatId, final String suffix) {
+        validateModel(formatId, suffix, formatId, suffix);
+    }
+    
+    private void validateModel(final String formatId, final String suffix, final String dummyFormatId, final String dummySuffix) {
         fModel.validateData(
             fViewer, TreePath.EMPTY, 
             new TestElementValidator() {
@@ -356,7 +363,7 @@ abstract public class FormattedValueTests extends TestCase implements IViewerUpd
                     assertEquals(fModel.getFormattedValueText(modelElement, formatId) + suffix, label.getText());
 
                     label = fViewer.getElementLabel(viewerPath, TestModelCachingVMProvider.COLUMN_DUMMY_VALUE);
-                    assertEquals(formatId, label.getText());
+                    assertEquals(dummyFormatId + dummySuffix, label.getText());
                 }
             });
     }