diff --git a/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerplugin.cpp b/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerplugin.cpp
index edb1d9986fffd5fcfae6478fafe0e8aedb9ca6b8..e4f90707f61b5a0b3a1dc1ebccfc45bc72e8e8c0 100644
--- a/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerplugin.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerplugin.cpp
@@ -1210,7 +1210,9 @@ void DebuggerPlugin::startExternalApplication()
     setConfigValue(_("LastExternalExecutableArguments"),
                    dlg.executableArguments());
     sp->executable = dlg.executableFile();
-    sp->processArgs = dlg.executableArguments().split(QLatin1Char(' '));
+    if (!dlg.executableArguments().isEmpty())
+        sp->processArgs = dlg.executableArguments().split(QLatin1Char(' '));
+
     if (dlg.breakAtMain())
         m_manager->breakByFunctionMain();