diff --git a/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/core/model/CDebugTarget.java b/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/core/model/CDebugTarget.java
index 0d658ec745c..b6da6eb8c3d 100644
--- a/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/core/model/CDebugTarget.java
+++ b/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/core/model/CDebugTarget.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*******************************************************************************
- * Copyright (c) 2000, 2010 QNX Software Systems and others.
+ * Copyright (c) 2000, 2012 QNX Software Systems and others.
  * All rights reserved. This program and the accompanying materials
  * are made available under the terms of the Eclipse Public License v1.0
  * which accompanies this distribution, and is available at
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
  *     QNX Software Systems - Initial API and implementation
  *     Ken Ryall (Nokia) - bugs 118894, 170027, 91771
  *     Wind River Systems - adapted to work with platform Modules view (bug 210558)
+ *     Marc-Andre Laperle - Bug 382462
  *******************************************************************************/
 package org.eclipse.cdt.debug.internal.core.model;
 
@@ -97,6 +98,7 @@ import org.eclipse.cdt.debug.internal.core.CSignalManager;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.debug.internal.core.ICDebugInternalConstants;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.debug.internal.core.sourcelookup.CSourceLookupParticipant;
 import org.eclipse.cdt.debug.internal.core.sourcelookup.CSourceManager;
+import org.eclipse.cdt.utils.Addr64Factory;
 import org.eclipse.core.resources.IContainer;
 import org.eclipse.core.resources.IMarkerDelta;
 import org.eclipse.core.resources.IProject;
@@ -109,8 +111,8 @@ import org.eclipse.core.runtime.MultiStatus;
 import org.eclipse.core.runtime.Path;
 import org.eclipse.core.runtime.Platform;
 import org.eclipse.core.runtime.Preferences;
-import org.eclipse.core.runtime.Status;
 import org.eclipse.core.runtime.Preferences.IPropertyChangeListener;
+import org.eclipse.core.runtime.Status;
 import org.eclipse.debug.core.DebugEvent;
 import org.eclipse.debug.core.DebugException;
 import org.eclipse.debug.core.DebugPlugin;
@@ -1798,13 +1800,17 @@ public class CDebugTarget extends CDebugElement implements ICDebugTarget, ICDIEv
 			// And if that doesn't work, use the one from the file.
 			if (fAddressFactory == null) {
 				if (getExecFile() != null && getProject() != null) {
-					IBinaryObject file;
-					file = getBinaryFile();
+					IBinaryObject file = getBinaryFile();
 					if (file != null) {
 						fAddressFactory = file.getAddressFactory();
 					}
 				}
 			}
+			
+			// As a last resort, fallback to 64 bit address factory
+			if (fAddressFactory == null) {
+				fAddressFactory = new Addr64Factory();
+			}
 		}
 		return fAddressFactory;
 	}
diff --git a/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/gdb/launching/GdbLaunchDelegate.java b/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/gdb/launching/GdbLaunchDelegate.java
index 8d3fd47fb9e..cdd7e0f2e89 100644
--- a/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/gdb/launching/GdbLaunchDelegate.java
+++ b/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/gdb/launching/GdbLaunchDelegate.java
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
  * Abeer Bagul (Tensilica) - Allow to better override GdbLaunch (bug 339550)
  * Anton Gorenkov         - Need to use a process factory (Bug 210366)
  * Marc Khouzam (Ericsson) - Cleanup the launch if it is cancelled (Bug 374374)
+ * Marc-Andre Laperle      - Bug 382462
  *******************************************************************************/
 package org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.launching; 
 
@@ -277,7 +278,7 @@ public class GdbLaunchDelegate extends AbstractCLaunchDelegate2
 	}
 	
 	/**
-	 * Method used to check that the project, program and binary are correct.
+	 * Method used to check that the project and program are correct.
 	 * Can be overridden to avoid checking certain things.
 	 * @since 3.0
 	 */
@@ -286,8 +287,9 @@ public class GdbLaunchDelegate extends AbstractCLaunchDelegate2
 		ICProject project = verifyCProject(config);
 		// Now verify we know the program to debug.
 		IPath exePath = LaunchUtils.verifyProgramPath(config, project);
-		// Finally, make sure the program is a proper binary.
-		LaunchUtils.verifyBinary(config, exePath);
+		// To allow users to debug with binary parsers turned off, we don't call
+		// LaunchUtils.verifyBinary here. Instead we simply rely on the debugger to
+		// report any issues with the binary.
 		return exePath;
 	}