diff --git a/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/core/ICDebugConstants.java b/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/core/ICDebugConstants.java
index f9615fa3a67..fde0bf66265 100644
--- a/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/core/ICDebugConstants.java
+++ b/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/core/ICDebugConstants.java
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ public interface ICDebugConstants {
 
 	/**
 	 * Deprecated id for the charset used for decoding wchar_t type strings.
-	 * Replaced by ICDebugConstants.PREF_WIDE_CHARSET.
+	 * Replaced by ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_WIDE_CHARSET.
 	 * @deprecated
 	 */
 	@Deprecated
diff --git a/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/core/CDebugCorePreferenceInitializer.java b/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/core/CDebugCorePreferenceInitializer.java
index 5c277a1eb42..a6a33294142 100644
--- a/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/core/CDebugCorePreferenceInitializer.java
+++ b/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/core/CDebugCorePreferenceInitializer.java
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ import org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core.ICDebugConstants;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core.cdi.ICDIFormat;
 import org.eclipse.core.runtime.Platform;
 import org.eclipse.core.runtime.preferences.AbstractPreferenceInitializer;
+import org.eclipse.core.runtime.preferences.DefaultScope;
+import org.eclipse.core.runtime.preferences.IEclipsePreferences;
  
 /**
  * Default preference value initializer for <code>CDebugCorePlugin</code>.
@@ -37,15 +39,18 @@ public class CDebugCorePreferenceInitializer extends AbstractPreferenceInitializ
 	 */
 	@Override
 	public void initializeDefaultPreferences() {
-		CDebugCorePlugin.getDefault().getPluginPreferences().setDefault( ICDebugConstants.PREF_MAX_NUMBER_OF_INSTRUCTIONS, ICDebugConstants.DEF_NUMBER_OF_INSTRUCTIONS );
-		CDebugCorePlugin.getDefault().getPluginPreferences().setDefault( ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEFAULT_VARIABLE_FORMAT, ICDIFormat.NATURAL );
-		CDebugCorePlugin.getDefault().getPluginPreferences().setDefault( ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEFAULT_EXPRESSION_FORMAT, ICDIFormat.NATURAL );
-		CDebugCorePlugin.getDefault().getPluginPreferences().setDefault( ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEFAULT_REGISTER_FORMAT, ICDIFormat.NATURAL );
-		CDebugCorePlugin.getDefault().getPluginPreferences().setDefault( ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_CHARSET, Charset.defaultCharset().name() );
-		if (Platform.getOS().equals(Platform.OS_WIN32))
-			CDebugCorePlugin.getDefault().getPluginPreferences().setDefault( ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_WIDE_CHARSET, "UTF-16"); //$NON-NLS-1$
-		else
-			CDebugCorePlugin.getDefault().getPluginPreferences().setDefault( ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_WIDE_CHARSET, "UTF-32"); //$NON-NLS-1$
-		CDebugCorePlugin.getDefault().getPluginPreferences().setDefault( ICDebugConstants.PREF_INSTRUCTION_STEP_MODE_ON, false );
+		IEclipsePreferences defaultPreferences = DefaultScope.INSTANCE.getNode(CDebugCorePlugin.PLUGIN_ID);
+		
+		defaultPreferences.putInt(ICDebugConstants.PREF_MAX_NUMBER_OF_INSTRUCTIONS, ICDebugConstants.DEF_NUMBER_OF_INSTRUCTIONS);
+		defaultPreferences.putInt(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEFAULT_VARIABLE_FORMAT, ICDIFormat.NATURAL);
+		defaultPreferences.putInt(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEFAULT_EXPRESSION_FORMAT, ICDIFormat.NATURAL);
+		defaultPreferences.putInt(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEFAULT_REGISTER_FORMAT, ICDIFormat.NATURAL);
+		defaultPreferences.put(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_CHARSET, Charset.defaultCharset().name());
+		if (Platform.getOS().equals(Platform.OS_WIN32)) {
+			defaultPreferences.put(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_WIDE_CHARSET, "UTF-16"); //$NON-NLS-1$
+		} else {
+			defaultPreferences.put(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_WIDE_CHARSET, "UTF-32"); //$NON-NLS-1$
+		}
+		defaultPreferences.putBoolean(ICDebugConstants.PREF_INSTRUCTION_STEP_MODE_ON, false);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/ui/preferences/CDebugPreferencePage.java b/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/ui/preferences/CDebugPreferencePage.java
index a58f8e28671..663281b89ed 100644
--- a/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/ui/preferences/CDebugPreferencePage.java
+++ b/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/ui/preferences/CDebugPreferencePage.java
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ import org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core.cdi.ICDIFormat;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.debug.internal.ui.ICDebugHelpContextIds;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.debug.ui.CDebugUIPlugin;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.utils.ui.controls.ControlFactory;
+import org.eclipse.core.runtime.Platform;
+import org.eclipse.core.runtime.preferences.DefaultScope;
+import org.eclipse.core.runtime.preferences.InstanceScope;
 import org.eclipse.debug.ui.IDebugUIConstants;
 import org.eclipse.debug.ui.IDebugView;
 import org.eclipse.jface.preference.FieldEditor;
@@ -45,6 +48,7 @@ import org.eclipse.ui.IWorkbenchPage;
 import org.eclipse.ui.IWorkbenchPreferencePage;
 import org.eclipse.ui.IWorkbenchWindow;
 import org.eclipse.ui.ide.dialogs.EncodingFieldEditor;
+import org.osgi.service.prefs.BackingStoreException;
 
 /**
  * Preference page for debug preferences that apply specifically to C/C++ Debugging.
@@ -172,30 +176,60 @@ public class CDebugPreferencePage extends PreferencePage implements IWorkbenchPr
 	 * Set the values of the component widgets based on the values in the preference store
 	 */
 	private void setValues() {
-		// Number format combos
-		fVariableFormatCombo.select( getFormatIndex( CDebugCorePlugin.getDefault().getPluginPreferences().getInt( ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEFAULT_VARIABLE_FORMAT ) ) );
-		fExpressionFormatCombo.select( getFormatIndex( CDebugCorePlugin.getDefault().getPluginPreferences().getInt( ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEFAULT_EXPRESSION_FORMAT ) ) );
-		fRegisterFormatCombo.select( getFormatIndex( CDebugCorePlugin.getDefault().getPluginPreferences().getInt( ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEFAULT_REGISTER_FORMAT ) ) );
+		// Set the number format combo boxes.
+		fVariableFormatCombo.select(getFormatIndex(Platform.getPreferencesService().getInt(CDebugCorePlugin.PLUGIN_ID, ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEFAULT_VARIABLE_FORMAT, ICDIFormat.NATURAL, null)));
+		fExpressionFormatCombo.select(getFormatIndex(Platform.getPreferencesService().getInt(CDebugCorePlugin.PLUGIN_ID, ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEFAULT_EXPRESSION_FORMAT, ICDIFormat.NATURAL, null)));
+		fRegisterFormatCombo.select(getFormatIndex(Platform.getPreferencesService().getInt(CDebugCorePlugin.PLUGIN_ID, ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEFAULT_REGISTER_FORMAT, ICDIFormat.NATURAL, null)));
 		
-		// Charset editors
+		
+		// Set the charset editors.
+		
+		// Create a temporary preference store.
 		PreferenceStore ps = new PreferenceStore();
 		
-		ps.setDefault(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_CHARSET, CDebugCorePlugin.getDefault().getPluginPreferences().getDefaultString(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_CHARSET));
-		ps.setValue(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_CHARSET, CDebugCorePlugin.getDefault().getPluginPreferences().getString(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_CHARSET));
+		// Get the default charset and the default wide charset.
+		String defaultCharset = DefaultScope.INSTANCE.getNode(CDebugCorePlugin.PLUGIN_ID).get(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_CHARSET, null);
+		if (defaultCharset != null) {
+			ps.setDefault(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_CHARSET, defaultCharset);
+		}
+		String defaultWideCharset = DefaultScope.INSTANCE.getNode(CDebugCorePlugin.PLUGIN_ID).get(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_WIDE_CHARSET, null);
+		if (defaultWideCharset != null) {
+			ps.setDefault(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_WIDE_CHARSET, defaultWideCharset);
+		}
+		
+		// Get the charset and the wide charset. If they're unset, use the default instead.
+		// Note that we have to call the setValue() function of the PreferenceStore even if we
+		// want to use the default. This is to ensure proper display of the encoding field editor.
+		String charset = InstanceScope.INSTANCE.getNode(CDebugCorePlugin.PLUGIN_ID).get(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_CHARSET, null);
+		if (charset != null) {
+			ps.setValue(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_CHARSET, charset);
+		} else if (defaultCharset != null) {
+			ps.setValue(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_CHARSET, defaultCharset);
+		}
+		String wideCharset = InstanceScope.INSTANCE.getNode(CDebugCorePlugin.PLUGIN_ID).get(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_WIDE_CHARSET, null);
+		if (wideCharset != null) {
+			ps.setValue(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_WIDE_CHARSET, wideCharset);
+		} else if (defaultWideCharset != null) {
+			ps.setValue(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_WIDE_CHARSET, defaultWideCharset);
+		}
+		
+		// Initialize the encoding field editors with the values from the preference store.
 		fCharsetEditor.setPreferenceStore(ps);
 		fCharsetEditor.load();
-		if (CDebugCorePlugin.getDefault().getPluginPreferences().isDefault(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_CHARSET))
-			fCharsetEditor.loadDefault();
-		
-		ps.setDefault(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_WIDE_CHARSET, CDebugCorePlugin.getDefault().getPluginPreferences().getDefaultString(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_WIDE_CHARSET));
-		ps.setValue(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_WIDE_CHARSET, CDebugCorePlugin.getDefault().getPluginPreferences().getString(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_WIDE_CHARSET));
 		fWideCharsetEditor.setPreferenceStore(ps);
 		fWideCharsetEditor.load();
-		if (CDebugCorePlugin.getDefault().getPluginPreferences().isDefault(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_WIDE_CHARSET))
-			fWideCharsetEditor.loadDefault();
 		
-		// Others
-		fShowBinarySourceFilesButton.setSelection( CCorePlugin.getDefault().getPluginPreferences().getBoolean( CCorePreferenceConstants.SHOW_SOURCE_FILES_IN_BINARIES ) );
+		// Tell the encoding field editors to check the "Default" option if we're currently using the default values.
+		if (charset == null) {
+			fCharsetEditor.loadDefault();
+		}
+		if (wideCharset == null) {
+			fWideCharsetEditor.loadDefault();
+		}
+		
+		
+		// Set the values for the remaining preferences.
+		fShowBinarySourceFilesButton.setSelection(Platform.getPreferencesService().getBoolean(CCorePlugin.PLUGIN_ID, CCorePreferenceConstants.SHOW_SOURCE_FILES_IN_BINARIES, true, null));
 	}
 
 	/*
@@ -302,8 +336,13 @@ public class CDebugPreferencePage extends PreferencePage implements IWorkbenchPr
 		if ( getPropertyChangeListener().hasStateChanged() ) {
 			refreshViews();
 		}
-		CDebugUIPlugin.getDefault().savePluginPreferences();
-		CDebugCorePlugin.getDefault().savePluginPreferences();
+		
+		try {
+			InstanceScope.INSTANCE.getNode(CDebugUIPlugin.PLUGIN_ID).flush();
+			InstanceScope.INSTANCE.getNode(CDebugCorePlugin.PLUGIN_ID).flush();
+		} catch (BackingStoreException e) {
+			// No operation
+		}
 		return true;
 	}
 
@@ -350,17 +389,29 @@ public class CDebugPreferencePage extends PreferencePage implements IWorkbenchPr
 	 * Store the preference values based on the state of the component widgets
 	 */
 	private void storeValues() {
-		CDebugCorePlugin.getDefault().getPluginPreferences().setValue( ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEFAULT_VARIABLE_FORMAT, getFormatId( fVariableFormatCombo.getSelectionIndex() ) );
-		CDebugCorePlugin.getDefault().getPluginPreferences().setValue( ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEFAULT_EXPRESSION_FORMAT, getFormatId( fExpressionFormatCombo.getSelectionIndex() ) );
-		CDebugCorePlugin.getDefault().getPluginPreferences().setValue( ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEFAULT_REGISTER_FORMAT, getFormatId( fRegisterFormatCombo.getSelectionIndex() ) );
+		// Store the number formats.
+		InstanceScope.INSTANCE.getNode(CDebugCorePlugin.PLUGIN_ID).putInt(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEFAULT_VARIABLE_FORMAT, getFormatId(fVariableFormatCombo.getSelectionIndex()));
+		InstanceScope.INSTANCE.getNode(CDebugCorePlugin.PLUGIN_ID).putInt(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEFAULT_EXPRESSION_FORMAT, getFormatId(fExpressionFormatCombo.getSelectionIndex()));
+		InstanceScope.INSTANCE.getNode(CDebugCorePlugin.PLUGIN_ID).putInt(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEFAULT_REGISTER_FORMAT, getFormatId(fRegisterFormatCombo.getSelectionIndex()));
 		
-		fCharsetEditor.store();
-		CDebugCorePlugin.getDefault().getPluginPreferences().setValue(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_CHARSET, fCharsetEditor.getPreferenceStore().getString(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_CHARSET));
+		// Store the charset.
+		if (fCharsetEditor.presentsDefaultValue()) {
+			InstanceScope.INSTANCE.getNode(CDebugCorePlugin.PLUGIN_ID).remove(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_CHARSET);
+		} else {
+			fCharsetEditor.store();
+			InstanceScope.INSTANCE.getNode(CDebugCorePlugin.PLUGIN_ID).put(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_CHARSET, fCharsetEditor.getPreferenceStore().getString(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_CHARSET));
+		}
 		
-		fWideCharsetEditor.store();
-		CDebugCorePlugin.getDefault().getPluginPreferences().setValue(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_WIDE_CHARSET, fWideCharsetEditor.getPreferenceStore().getString(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_WIDE_CHARSET));
+		// Store the wide charset.
+		if (fWideCharsetEditor.presentsDefaultValue()) {
+			InstanceScope.INSTANCE.getNode(CDebugCorePlugin.PLUGIN_ID).remove(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_WIDE_CHARSET);
+		} else {
+			fWideCharsetEditor.store();
+			InstanceScope.INSTANCE.getNode(CDebugCorePlugin.PLUGIN_ID).put(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_WIDE_CHARSET, fWideCharsetEditor.getPreferenceStore().getString(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEBUG_WIDE_CHARSET));
+		}
 		
-		CCorePlugin.getDefault().getPluginPreferences().setValue( CCorePreferenceConstants.SHOW_SOURCE_FILES_IN_BINARIES, fShowBinarySourceFilesButton.getSelection() );
+		// Store the other preferences.
+		InstanceScope.INSTANCE.getNode(CCorePlugin.PLUGIN_ID).putBoolean(CCorePreferenceConstants.SHOW_SOURCE_FILES_IN_BINARIES, fShowBinarySourceFilesButton.getSelection());
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -375,11 +426,12 @@ public class CDebugPreferencePage extends PreferencePage implements IWorkbenchPr
 	}
 
 	private void setDefaultValues() {
-		fVariableFormatCombo.select( getFormatIndex( CDebugCorePlugin.getDefault().getPluginPreferences().getDefaultInt( ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEFAULT_VARIABLE_FORMAT ) ) );
-		fExpressionFormatCombo.select( getFormatIndex( CDebugCorePlugin.getDefault().getPluginPreferences().getDefaultInt( ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEFAULT_EXPRESSION_FORMAT ) ) );
-		fRegisterFormatCombo.select( getFormatIndex( CDebugCorePlugin.getDefault().getPluginPreferences().getDefaultInt( ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEFAULT_REGISTER_FORMAT ) ) );
+		fVariableFormatCombo.select(getFormatIndex(DefaultScope.INSTANCE.getNode(CDebugCorePlugin.PLUGIN_ID).getInt(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEFAULT_VARIABLE_FORMAT, ICDIFormat.NATURAL)));
+		fExpressionFormatCombo.select(getFormatIndex(DefaultScope.INSTANCE.getNode(CDebugCorePlugin.PLUGIN_ID).getInt(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEFAULT_EXPRESSION_FORMAT, ICDIFormat.NATURAL)));
+		fRegisterFormatCombo.select(getFormatIndex(DefaultScope.INSTANCE.getNode(CDebugCorePlugin.PLUGIN_ID).getInt(ICDebugConstants.PREF_DEFAULT_REGISTER_FORMAT, ICDIFormat.NATURAL)));
 		fCharsetEditor.loadDefault();
 		fWideCharsetEditor.loadDefault();
+		fShowBinarySourceFilesButton.setSelection(DefaultScope.INSTANCE.getNode(CCorePlugin.PLUGIN_ID).getBoolean(CCorePreferenceConstants.SHOW_SOURCE_FILES_IN_BINARIES, true));
 	}
 
 	private static int getFormatId( int index ) {