diff --git a/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.tests.dsf.gdb/src/org/eclipse/cdt/tests/dsf/gdb/framework/BaseParametrizedTestCase.java b/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.tests.dsf.gdb/src/org/eclipse/cdt/tests/dsf/gdb/framework/BaseParametrizedTestCase.java
index 5909edb2bf6..a66bba46567 100644
--- a/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.tests.dsf.gdb/src/org/eclipse/cdt/tests/dsf/gdb/framework/BaseParametrizedTestCase.java
+++ b/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.tests.dsf.gdb/src/org/eclipse/cdt/tests/dsf/gdb/framework/BaseParametrizedTestCase.java
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@
  *******************************************************************************/
 package org.eclipse.cdt.tests.dsf.gdb.framework;
 
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
+import static org.junit.Assert.fail;
+
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.Collections;
@@ -17,8 +20,10 @@ import java.util.List;
 
 import org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core.ICDTLaunchConfigurationConstants;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.IGDBLaunchConfigurationConstants;
+import org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.launching.GdbLaunch;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.launching.LaunchUtils;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.tests.dsf.gdb.tests.ITestConstants;
+import org.eclipse.core.runtime.CoreException;
 import org.junit.Assume;
 import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
 import org.junit.runners.Parameterized;
@@ -78,7 +83,7 @@ public abstract class BaseParametrizedTestCase extends BaseTestCase {
 				gdbVersionPostfix = parameter;
 			}
 			if (gdbVersionPostfix.isEmpty())
-				gdbVersionPostfix = "default";
+				gdbVersionPostfix = DEFAULT_VERSION_STRING;
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -129,7 +134,7 @@ public abstract class BaseParametrizedTestCase extends BaseTestCase {
 			// fail assumption
 			Assume.assumeFalse("GDB cannot be run " + gdbPath, true);
 		}
-		if (checkVersion == null || checkVersion.isEmpty() || checkVersion.equals("default"))
+		if (checkVersion == null || checkVersion.isEmpty() || checkVersion.equals(DEFAULT_VERSION_STRING))
 			return; // no version restrictions
 		if (checkVersion.equals(gdbVersion))
 			return;
@@ -155,4 +160,34 @@ public abstract class BaseParametrizedTestCase extends BaseTestCase {
 			setLaunchAttribute(ICDTLaunchConfigurationConstants.ATTR_DEBUGGER_START_MODE,
 					IGDBLaunchConfigurationConstants.DEBUGGER_MODE_REMOTE);
 	}
+	
+	@Override
+	protected void validateGdbVersion(GdbLaunch launch) {
+		try {
+			String expected = getGdbVersionParameter();
+			if (expected.equals(DEFAULT_VERSION_STRING)) {
+				// If the user has requested the default GDB, we accept whatever version runs.
+				return;
+			}
+			
+			String actual = launch.getGDBVersion();
+			
+			String[] expectedParts = expected.split("\\."); //$NON-NLS-1$
+			String[] actualParts = actual.split("\\."); //$NON-NLS-1$
+			
+			String comparableActualString = actual;
+			if (expectedParts.length == 2 // If the expected version does not care about the maintenance number 
+					&& actualParts.length == 3) {  // and the actual version has a maintenance number
+				// We should ignore the maintenance number.
+				// For example, if we expect 7.12, then the actual
+				// version we should accept can be 7.12 or 7.12.1 or 7.12.2, etc.
+				comparableActualString = actual.substring(0, actual.lastIndexOf('.'));
+			}
+			
+			assertTrue("Unexpected GDB version.  Expected " + expected + " actual " + actual, 
+					   LaunchUtils.compareVersions(expected, comparableActualString) == 0);
+		} catch (CoreException e) {
+			fail(e.getMessage());
+		}
+	}
 }
diff --git a/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.tests.dsf.gdb/src/org/eclipse/cdt/tests/dsf/gdb/framework/BaseTestCase.java b/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.tests.dsf.gdb/src/org/eclipse/cdt/tests/dsf/gdb/framework/BaseTestCase.java
index 4bf45f6ac2a..47c45b92880 100644
--- a/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.tests.dsf.gdb/src/org/eclipse/cdt/tests/dsf/gdb/framework/BaseTestCase.java
+++ b/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.tests.dsf.gdb/src/org/eclipse/cdt/tests/dsf/gdb/framework/BaseTestCase.java
@@ -80,6 +80,12 @@ import org.junit.rules.Timeout;
  */
 @SuppressWarnings("restriction")
 public class BaseTestCase {
+	/** 
+	 * When used, the tests will use a GDB called 'gdb'.  This uses
+	 * whatever GDB is installed on the machine where the tests are run.
+	 */
+	public final static String DEFAULT_VERSION_STRING = "default";
+
 	/*
 	 * Path to executable
 	 */
@@ -168,6 +174,14 @@ public class BaseTestCase {
 	              .equals(IGDBLaunchConfigurationConstants.DEBUGGER_MODE_REMOTE);
     }
 
+	/**
+	 * Validate that the gdb version launched is the one that was targeted.
+	 * Will fail the test if the versions don't match.
+	 * 
+	 * @param launch The launch in which we can find the gdb version
+	 */
+	protected void validateGdbVersion(GdbLaunch launch) {};
+	
     /**
 	 * We listen for the target to stop at the main breakpoint. This listener is
 	 * installed when the session is created and we uninstall ourselves when we
@@ -441,6 +455,8 @@ public class BaseTestCase {
  		fLaunchConfiguration = lcWorkingCopy.doSave();
  		fLaunch = doLaunchInner();
 
+ 		validateGdbVersion(fLaunch);
+
  		// If we started a gdbserver add it to the launch to make sure it is killed at the end
  		if (gdbserverProc != null) {
             DebugPlugin.newProcess(fLaunch, gdbserverProc, "gdbserver");
@@ -623,7 +639,7 @@ public class BaseTestCase {
 		boolean isWindows = runningOnWindows();
 		String gdbPath = System.getProperty("cdt.tests.dsf.gdb.path");
 		String fileExtension = isWindows ? ".exe" : "";
-		String versionPostfix = (!version.equals("default")) ? "." + version : "";
+		String versionPostfix = (!version.equals(DEFAULT_VERSION_STRING)) ? "." + version : "";
 		String debugName = main + versionPostfix + fileExtension;
 		if (gdbPath != null) {
 			debugName = gdbPath + "/" + debugName;