diff --git a/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/core/DebugStringVariableSubstitutor.java b/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/core/DebugStringVariableSubstitutor.java
index 86c1c70bcc9..3bc6980bf58 100644
--- a/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/core/DebugStringVariableSubstitutor.java
+++ b/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/core/DebugStringVariableSubstitutor.java
@@ -130,6 +130,8 @@ public class DebugStringVariableSubstitutor implements IStringVariableManager {
 
 	public IDynamicVariable getDynamicVariable(String name) {
 		IDynamicVariable var = variableManager.getDynamicVariable(name);
+		if (var == null)
+			return null;
 		return substituteVariable(var);
 	}