diff --git a/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/mi/service/command/AbstractMIControl.java b/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/mi/service/command/AbstractMIControl.java
index 33bb3e2fe39..1f338631de9 100644
--- a/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/mi/service/command/AbstractMIControl.java
+++ b/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/mi/service/command/AbstractMIControl.java
@@ -217,11 +217,15 @@ public abstract class AbstractMIControl extends AbstractDsfService
         fRxThread = new RxThread(inStream);
         
         GDBBackend backend = getServicesTracker().getService(GDBBackend.class);
-        fErrorThread = new ErrorThread(backend.getProcess().getErrorStream());
+        if (backend != null) {
+        	fErrorThread = new ErrorThread(backend.getProcess().getErrorStream());
+        }
         
         fTxThread.start();
         fRxThread.start();
-        fErrorThread.start();
+        if (fErrorThread != null) {
+        	fErrorThread.start();
+        }
     }
     
     /**