fixes #19353

src/vs/workbench/parts/debug/browser/debugActionItems.ts

@@ -55,7 +55,9 @@ export class StartDebugActionItem extends EventEmitter implements IActionItem {
 				manager.openConfigFile(false).then(editor => {
 					if (editor) {
 						const codeEditor = <ICommonCodeEditor>editor.getControl();
-						return codeEditor.getContribution<IDebugEditorContribution>(EDITOR_CONTRIBUTION_ID).addLaunchConfiguration();
+						if (codeEditor) {
+							return codeEditor.getContribution<IDebugEditorContribution>(EDITOR_CONTRIBUTION_ID).addLaunchConfiguration();
+						}
 					}
 				});
 			} else {

src/vs/workbench/parts/debug/electron-browser/debugConfigurationManager.ts

@@ -393,7 +393,8 @@ export class ConfigurationManager implements debug.IConfigurationManager {
 
 		const editor = this.editorService.getActiveEditor();
 		if (editor) {
-			const model = (<ICommonCodeEditor>editor.getControl()).getModel();
+			const codeEditor = <ICommonCodeEditor>editor.getControl();
+			const model = codeEditor ? codeEditor.getModel() : undefined;
 			const language = model ? model.getLanguageIdentifier().language : undefined;
 			const adapter = this.adapters.filter(a => a.languages && a.languages.indexOf(language) >= 0).pop();
 			if (adapter) {