diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/parts/debug/node/debugConfigurationManager.ts b/src/vs/workbench/parts/debug/node/debugConfigurationManager.ts
index b6468cf82ecb5a1b9566c2507ec9abc5f578f06c..7190ecb713a2480f0a37d42a9b8cd569bbd732e6 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/parts/debug/node/debugConfigurationManager.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/parts/debug/node/debugConfigurationManager.ts
@@ -297,9 +297,12 @@ export class ConfigurationManager implements debug.IConfigurationManager {
 
 		const factory: { (): TPromise<any> }[] = Object.keys(interactiveVariablesToSubstitutes).map(interactiveVariable => {
 			return () => {
-				const commandId = this.adapter.variables ? this.adapter.variables[interactiveVariable] : null;
+				let commandId = null;
+				if (this.adapter !== null) {
+					commandId = this.adapter.variables ? this.adapter.variables[interactiveVariable] : null;
+				}
 				if (!commandId) {
-					return TPromise.wrapError(nls.localize('interactiveVariableNotFound', "Adapter {0} does not contribute variable {1} that is specified in launch configuration.", this.adapter.type, interactiveVariable));
+					return TPromise.wrapError(nls.localize('interactiveVariableNotFound', "Adapter {0} does not contribute variable {1} that is specified in launch configuration.", this.adapter !== null ? this.adapter.type : null, interactiveVariable));
 				} else {
 					return this.commandService.executeCommand<string>(commandId, this.configuration).then(result => {
 						if (!result) {