diff --git a/launch/org.eclipse.cdt.launch/ChangeLog b/launch/org.eclipse.cdt.launch/ChangeLog
index eeb828f3b5d..bba879d53dc 100644
--- a/launch/org.eclipse.cdt.launch/ChangeLog
+++ b/launch/org.eclipse.cdt.launch/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+2003-01-29 David Inglis
+	* src/.../launch/internal/ui/LaunchUIPluging.java (getShell)
+	change so that it will always return a shell.
+	
 2003-01-28 Alain Magloire
 
 	* src/.../launch/internal/CApplicationLaunchShortCut.java (getCLaunchConfigType):
diff --git a/launch/org.eclipse.cdt.launch/src/org/eclipse/cdt/launch/internal/ui/LaunchUIPlugin.java b/launch/org.eclipse.cdt.launch/src/org/eclipse/cdt/launch/internal/ui/LaunchUIPlugin.java
index f9c13466db8..d0667cd5dc8 100644
--- a/launch/org.eclipse.cdt.launch/src/org/eclipse/cdt/launch/internal/ui/LaunchUIPlugin.java
+++ b/launch/org.eclipse.cdt.launch/src/org/eclipse/cdt/launch/internal/ui/LaunchUIPlugin.java
@@ -57,18 +57,17 @@ public class LaunchUIPlugin extends AbstractUIPlugin
 	}
 	
 	public static Shell getShell() {
-		Shell shell = null;
-		if (getActiveWorkbenchWindow() != null) {
-			shell = getActiveWorkbenchWindow().getShell();
-		} 
-		if ( shell == null ) {
+		if (getActiveWorkbenchShell() != null) {
+			return getActiveWorkbenchShell();
+		} else { 
 			if ( debugDialogShell != null ) {
 				if (!debugDialogShell.isDisposed() )
 					return debugDialogShell;
 				debugDialogShell = null;
 			}
+			IWorkbenchWindow[] windows = getDefault().getWorkbench().getWorkbenchWindows();
+			return windows[0].getShell();
 		}
-		return shell;
 	}
 
 	public static void setDialogShell(Shell shell) {