diff --git a/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.mi.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/mi/core/MISession.java b/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.mi.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/mi/core/MISession.java
index ad26446968d..7b54690c4f9 100644
--- a/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.mi.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/mi/core/MISession.java
+++ b/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.mi.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/mi/core/MISession.java
@@ -277,8 +277,10 @@ MIPlugin.getDefault().debugLog(number++ + " " + cmd.toString());
 
 		// Destroy the MI console stream.
 		try {
-			miOutPipe.close();
 			miInPipe = null;
+			if (miOutPipe != null) {
+				miOutPipe.close();
+			}
 		} catch (IOException e) {
 		}
 	}