diff --git a/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/core/CDebugAdapter.java b/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/core/CDebugAdapter.java
index 40725faca1b..31e863274bd 100644
--- a/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/core/CDebugAdapter.java
+++ b/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/core/CDebugAdapter.java
@@ -55,6 +55,10 @@ public class CDebugAdapter implements ICDIDebugger {
 	 */
 	public ICDISession createDebuggerSession(ILaunch launch, IBinaryObject exe, IProgressMonitor monitor) throws CoreException {
 		ILaunchConfiguration config = launch.getLaunchConfiguration();
+		if (exe == null) {
+			abort(InternalDebugCoreMessages.getString("CDebugAdapter.Program_file_not_specified"), null, //$NON-NLS-1$
+					ICDTLaunchConfigurationConstants.ERR_UNSPECIFIED_PROGRAM);
+		}
 		IFile[] exeFile = ResourcesPlugin.getWorkspace().getRoot().findFilesForLocation(exe.getPath());
 		if (exeFile.length == 0) {
 			abort(InternalDebugCoreMessages.getString("CDebugAdapter.0"), null, -1); //$NON-NLS-1$
diff --git a/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/core/InternalDebugCoreMessages.properties b/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/core/InternalDebugCoreMessages.properties
index 18e71b4c495..07b66e83a8e 100644
--- a/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/core/InternalDebugCoreMessages.properties
+++ b/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/core/InternalDebugCoreMessages.properties
@@ -18,4 +18,5 @@ CMemoryBlockExtensionRetrieval.1=Invalid expression type: ''{0}''
 CMemoryBlockExtensionRetrieval.2=Invalid expression: ''{0}''
 DebugConfiguration.0=This debugger no longer supports this operation
 CDebugAdapter.0=This debugger does not support debugging external files
-CDebugAdapter.1=Debugger Process
\ No newline at end of file
+CDebugAdapter.1=Debugger Process
+CDebugAdapter.Program_file_not_specified=Program file not specified
\ No newline at end of file