diff --git a/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/gdb/service/GDBMemory.java b/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/gdb/service/GDBMemory.java
index f459c756af4..8f6d3437032 100644
--- a/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/gdb/service/GDBMemory.java
+++ b/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/gdb/service/GDBMemory.java
@@ -252,6 +252,11 @@ public class GDBMemory extends MIMemory implements IGDBMemory {
 
 	@Override
 	public boolean isBigEndian(IMemoryDMContext context) {
+		assert fIsBigEndian != null;
+		if (fIsBigEndian == null) {
+    		GdbPlugin.log(new Status(IStatus.ERROR, GdbPlugin.PLUGIN_ID, "Endianness was never initialized!")); //$NON-NLS-1$
+			return false;
+		}
 		return fIsBigEndian;
 	}