diff --git a/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/gdb/internal/ui/launching/ProcessPrompterDialog.java b/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/gdb/internal/ui/launching/ProcessPrompterDialog.java
index 7cfeabb43ff..1ace78a6c95 100644
--- a/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/gdb/internal/ui/launching/ProcessPrompterDialog.java
+++ b/dsf-gdb/org.eclipse.cdt.dsf.gdb.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/dsf/gdb/internal/ui/launching/ProcessPrompterDialog.java
@@ -89,7 +89,8 @@ public class ProcessPrompterDialog extends TwoPaneElementSelector {
 
 			@Override
 			public boolean match(Object element) {
-				return matcher.matches(elementRenderer.getText(element));
+				String patternString = elementRenderer.getText(element);
+				return patternString != null && matcher.matches(patternString);
 			}
 		});