diff --git a/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/gdb/internal/ui/launching/LocalApplicationCDebuggerTab.java b/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/gdb/internal/ui/launching/LocalApplicationCDebuggerTab.java
index 77d993dec4a..ed5e865d784 100644
--- a/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/gdb/internal/ui/launching/LocalApplicationCDebuggerTab.java
+++ b/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/gdb/internal/ui/launching/LocalApplicationCDebuggerTab.java
@@ -34,30 +34,30 @@ public class LocalApplicationCDebuggerTab extends CDebuggerTab {
 	 * default settings saved.
 	 * Bug 281970
 	 */
-	private boolean fSetDefaultCalled;
-
+	private final static String DEFAULTS_SET = "org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.internal.ui.launching.LocalApplicationCDebuggerTab.DEFAULTS_SET"; //$NON-NLS-1$
+	
     public LocalApplicationCDebuggerTab() {
         super(SessionType.LOCAL, false);
     }
     
     @Override
     public void setDefaults(ILaunchConfigurationWorkingCopy config) {
-    	fSetDefaultCalled = true;
+		config.setAttribute(DEFAULTS_SET, true);
     	
     	super.setDefaults(config);
     }
     
     @Override
     public void initializeFrom(ILaunchConfiguration config) {
-		if (fSetDefaultCalled == false) {
-			try {
-				ILaunchConfigurationWorkingCopy wc;
-				wc = config.getWorkingCopy();
-				setDefaults(wc);
-				wc.doSave();
-			} catch (CoreException e) {
-			}
-		}
+    	try {
+    		if (config.hasAttribute(DEFAULTS_SET) == false) {
+    			ILaunchConfigurationWorkingCopy wc;
+    			wc = config.getWorkingCopy();
+    			setDefaults(wc);
+    			wc.doSave();
+    		}
+    	} catch (CoreException e) {
+    	}
 
 		super.initializeFrom(config);
     }
diff --git a/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/gdb/internal/ui/launching/RemoteApplicationCDebuggerTab.java b/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/gdb/internal/ui/launching/RemoteApplicationCDebuggerTab.java
index 570498c1208..b8ac544c759 100644
--- a/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/gdb/internal/ui/launching/RemoteApplicationCDebuggerTab.java
+++ b/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/gdb/internal/ui/launching/RemoteApplicationCDebuggerTab.java
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@
 package org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.internal.ui.launching;
 
 import org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.service.SessionType;
+import org.eclipse.core.runtime.CoreException;
+import org.eclipse.debug.core.ILaunchConfiguration;
+import org.eclipse.debug.core.ILaunchConfigurationWorkingCopy;
 
 /**
  * Debugger tab to use for a remote application launch configuration.
@@ -19,7 +22,43 @@ import org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.service.SessionType;
  */
 public class RemoteApplicationCDebuggerTab extends CDebuggerTab {
 
+	/*
+	 * When the launch configuration is created for Run mode,
+	 * this Debugger tab is not created because it is not used
+	 * for Run mode but only for Debug mode.
+	 * When we then open the same configuration in Debug mode, the launch
+	 * configuration already exists and initializeFrom() is called
+	 * instead of setDefaults().
+	 * We therefore call setDefaults() ourselves and update the configuration.
+	 * If we don't then the user will be required to press Apply to get the
+	 * default settings saved.
+	 * Bug 281970
+	 */
+	private final static String DEFAULTS_SET = "org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.internal.ui.launching.RemoteApplicationCDebuggerTab.DEFAULTS_SET"; //$NON-NLS-1$
+	
     public RemoteApplicationCDebuggerTab() {
         super(SessionType.REMOTE, false);
     }
+    
+    @Override
+    public void setDefaults(ILaunchConfigurationWorkingCopy config) {
+		config.setAttribute(DEFAULTS_SET, true);
+    	
+    	super.setDefaults(config);
+    }
+    
+    @Override
+    public void initializeFrom(ILaunchConfiguration config) {
+    	try {
+    		if (config.hasAttribute(DEFAULTS_SET) == false) {
+    			ILaunchConfigurationWorkingCopy wc;
+    			wc = config.getWorkingCopy();
+    			setDefaults(wc);
+    			wc.doSave();
+    		}
+    	} catch (CoreException e) {
+    	}
+
+		super.initializeFrom(config);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/launch/org.eclipse.cdt.launch/src/org/eclipse/cdt/launch/ui/ApplicationCDebuggerTab.java b/launch/org.eclipse.cdt.launch/src/org/eclipse/cdt/launch/ui/ApplicationCDebuggerTab.java
index 474537b8358..a39f1133c70 100644
--- a/launch/org.eclipse.cdt.launch/src/org/eclipse/cdt/launch/ui/ApplicationCDebuggerTab.java
+++ b/launch/org.eclipse.cdt.launch/src/org/eclipse/cdt/launch/ui/ApplicationCDebuggerTab.java
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ public class ApplicationCDebuggerTab extends CDebuggerTab {
 	 * default settings saved.
 	 * Bug 281970
 	 */
-	private boolean fSetDefaultCalled;
+	private final static String DEFAULTS_SET = "org.eclipse.cdt.launch.ui.ApplicationCDebuggerTab.DEFAULTS_SET"; //$NON-NLS-1$
 	
 	public ApplicationCDebuggerTab() {
         super (false);
@@ -40,23 +40,23 @@ public class ApplicationCDebuggerTab extends CDebuggerTab {
     
     @Override
     public void setDefaults(ILaunchConfigurationWorkingCopy config) {
-    	fSetDefaultCalled = true;
+		config.setAttribute(DEFAULTS_SET, true);
     	
     	super.setDefaults(config);
     }
     
     @Override
     public void initializeFrom(ILaunchConfiguration config) {
-		if (fSetDefaultCalled == false) {
-			try {
-				ILaunchConfigurationWorkingCopy wc;
-				wc = config.getWorkingCopy();
-				setDefaults(wc);
-				wc.doSave();
-			} catch (CoreException e) {
-			}
-		}
-
+    	try {
+    		if (config.hasAttribute(DEFAULTS_SET) == false) {
+    			ILaunchConfigurationWorkingCopy wc;
+    			wc = config.getWorkingCopy();
+    			setDefaults(wc);
+    			wc.doSave();
+    		}
+    	} catch (CoreException e) {
+    	}
+    	
 		super.initializeFrom(config);
     }
 }