diff --git a/launch/org.eclipse.cdt.launch/src/org/eclipse/cdt/launch/internal/MultiLaunchConfigurationDelegate.java b/launch/org.eclipse.cdt.launch/src/org/eclipse/cdt/launch/internal/MultiLaunchConfigurationDelegate.java
index 87a7522d15c..e57cce938d0 100644
--- a/launch/org.eclipse.cdt.launch/src/org/eclipse/cdt/launch/internal/MultiLaunchConfigurationDelegate.java
+++ b/launch/org.eclipse.cdt.launch/src/org/eclipse/cdt/launch/internal/MultiLaunchConfigurationDelegate.java
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ import org.eclipse.debug.ui.IDebugUIConstants;
 import org.eclipse.jface.dialogs.MessageDialog;
 import org.eclipse.jface.preference.IPreferenceStore;
 import org.eclipse.ui.PlatformUI;
+import org.eclipse.ui.activities.WorkbenchActivityHelper;
 
 /**
  * Group Launch delegate. Launches each configuration in the user selected mode
@@ -571,4 +572,13 @@ public class MultiLaunchConfigurationDelegate extends LaunchConfigurationDelegat
 	public static String getProp(int index, String string) {
 		return MultiLaunchConfigurationDelegate.MULTI_LAUNCH_CONSTANTS_PREFIX + "." + index + "." + string; //$NON-NLS-1$ //$NON-NLS-2$
 	}
+	
+	/**
+	 * Test if a launch configuration is a valid reference. 
+	 * @param config configuration reference
+	 * @return <code>true</code> if it is a valid reference, <code>false</code> if launch configuration should be filtered
+	 */
+	public static boolean isValidLaunchReference(ILaunchConfiguration config) {
+		return DebugUIPlugin.doLaunchConfigurationFiltering( config) && !WorkbenchActivityHelper.filterItem(config);
+	}
 }
diff --git a/launch/org.eclipse.cdt.launch/src/org/eclipse/cdt/launch/internal/ui/LaunchMessages.properties b/launch/org.eclipse.cdt.launch/src/org/eclipse/cdt/launch/internal/ui/LaunchMessages.properties
index 1b1e7cb8177..c9b1b62b423 100644
--- a/launch/org.eclipse.cdt.launch/src/org/eclipse/cdt/launch/internal/ui/LaunchMessages.properties
+++ b/launch/org.eclipse.cdt.launch/src/org/eclipse/cdt/launch/internal/ui/LaunchMessages.properties
@@ -194,5 +194,8 @@ MultiLaunchConfigurationTabGroup.10=Launches
 MultiLaunchConfigurationTabGroup.11=seconds
 MultiLaunchConfigurationTabGroup.12=Action
 MultiLaunchConfigurationTabGroup.13=Delay {0} seconds
+MultiLaunchConfigurationTabGroup.14=Launch {0} does not exist.
+MultiLaunchConfigurationTabGroup.15=Launch {0} is filtered.
+MultiLaunchConfigurationTabGroup.16=Must have at least one valid enabled launch.
 ProjectRenameChange.name=Update launch configuration "{0}"
 ProjectRenameChange.saveFailed=Failed to save updated launch configuration "{0}"
diff --git a/launch/org.eclipse.cdt.launch/src/org/eclipse/cdt/launch/internal/ui/MultiLaunchConfigurationSelectionDialog.java b/launch/org.eclipse.cdt.launch/src/org/eclipse/cdt/launch/internal/ui/MultiLaunchConfigurationSelectionDialog.java
index 8934df80acf..0d82bac1287 100644
--- a/launch/org.eclipse.cdt.launch/src/org/eclipse/cdt/launch/internal/ui/MultiLaunchConfigurationSelectionDialog.java
+++ b/launch/org.eclipse.cdt.launch/src/org/eclipse/cdt/launch/internal/ui/MultiLaunchConfigurationSelectionDialog.java
@@ -97,6 +97,8 @@ public class MultiLaunchConfigurationSelectionDialog extends TitleAreaDialog imp
 					} catch (CoreException e) {
 						return false;
 					}
+				} else if (element instanceof ILaunchConfiguration) {
+					return MultiLaunchConfigurationDelegate.isValidLaunchReference((ILaunchConfiguration) element);
 				}
 				return true;
 			}
diff --git a/launch/org.eclipse.cdt.launch/src/org/eclipse/cdt/launch/internal/ui/MultiLaunchConfigurationTabGroup.java b/launch/org.eclipse.cdt.launch/src/org/eclipse/cdt/launch/internal/ui/MultiLaunchConfigurationTabGroup.java
index 73377c55743..9538bae8ac1 100644
--- a/launch/org.eclipse.cdt.launch/src/org/eclipse/cdt/launch/internal/ui/MultiLaunchConfigurationTabGroup.java
+++ b/launch/org.eclipse.cdt.launch/src/org/eclipse/cdt/launch/internal/ui/MultiLaunchConfigurationTabGroup.java
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
  *******************************************************************************/
 package org.eclipse.cdt.launch.internal.ui;
 
+import java.text.MessageFormat;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Iterator;
 import java.util.List;
@@ -94,7 +95,7 @@ public class MultiLaunchConfigurationTabGroup extends AbstractLaunchConfiguratio
 				return null;
 			if (columnIndex == 0) {
 				MultiLaunchConfigurationDelegate.LaunchElement el = (MultiLaunchConfigurationDelegate.LaunchElement) element;
-				if (el.data == null) {
+				if (el.data == null || !MultiLaunchConfigurationDelegate.isValidLaunchReference(el.data)) {
 					Image errorImage = PlatformUI.getWorkbench().getSharedImages().getImage(ISharedImages.IMG_OBJS_ERROR_TSK);
 					return errorImage;
 				}
@@ -314,7 +315,9 @@ public class MultiLaunchConfigurationTabGroup extends AbstractLaunchConfiguratio
 					MultiLaunchConfigurationSelectionDialog dialog = 
 						MultiLaunchConfigurationSelectionDialog.createDialog(
 								treeViewer.getControl().getShell(), el.mode, true);
-					dialog.setInitialSelection(el);
+					if (MultiLaunchConfigurationDelegate.isValidLaunchReference(el.data)) {
+						dialog.setInitialSelection(el);
+					}
 					if (dialog.open() == Dialog.OK) {
 						ILaunchConfiguration[] confs = dialog.getSelectedLaunchConfigurations();
 						if (confs.length < 0) 
@@ -457,6 +460,39 @@ public class MultiLaunchConfigurationTabGroup extends AbstractLaunchConfiguratio
 		public void setDefaults(ILaunchConfigurationWorkingCopy configuration) {
 			// defaults is empty list
 		}
+
+		/* (non-Javadoc)
+		 * @see org.eclipse.debug.ui.AbstractLaunchConfigurationTab#isValid(org.eclipse.debug.core.ILaunchConfiguration)
+		 */
+		@Override
+		public boolean isValid(ILaunchConfiguration launchConfig) {
+			setMessage(null);
+			setErrorMessage(null);
+			int validLaunches = 0;
+			// test if each launch is valid
+			for (LaunchElement element : input) {
+				if (element.enabled) { 
+					if ( element.data == null) {
+						// error referencing invalid launch
+						setErrorMessage(MessageFormat.format(LaunchMessages.getString("MultiLaunchConfigurationTabGroup.14"), //$NON-NLS-1$
+								element.name));
+						return false;
+					} else if (!MultiLaunchConfigurationDelegate.isValidLaunchReference(element.data)) {
+						// error referencing invalid launch
+						setErrorMessage(MessageFormat.format(LaunchMessages.getString("MultiLaunchConfigurationTabGroup.15"), //$NON-NLS-1$
+								element.name));
+						return false;
+					}
+					validLaunches++;
+				} 
+			}
+			if (validLaunches < 1) {
+				// must have at least one valid and enabled launch
+				setErrorMessage(LaunchMessages.getString("MultiLaunchConfigurationTabGroup.16")); //$NON-NLS-1$
+				return false;				
+			}
+			return true;
+		}
 	}
 
 	public MultiLaunchConfigurationTabGroup() {